Lost
by Fireflyx94
Summary: Lord Wyldon has said no, Kel can't stay. What will she do? I know it starts pretty bad, but give it a try. Chapters get longer and better. KxD KxOC. Rated T for saftey. R and R please! Updates at least once monthly.
1. Tears

**This is the first story I've ever written for fanfiction, so please be nice! I doubt anyone will actually read it…but if you do, then I'm honored! I'm sorry it's so short...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PoTs. If I did, Dom would be mine! mwa-ha-ha!**

Kel walked out of the big room with no feelings showing on her face. _I am Stone._ She got to the door, and turned and glared at her -now old- training master, Lord Wyldon. She packed as much ice as she could into it. She tried to put all of her anger in that one expression, and tried not to look triumphant when she saw how it unsettled him. She wasn't used to being mean, but it had to be done. It wasn't fair. She did everything as well if not better than the other pages. Why must he treat her differently? Because she was a The Girl? _I'll show him. I don't know how, but I __**will**__ show him. I will come back and earn my shield. _She replaced the glare with a strong look of determination, and then wiped it clean of all emotions. She turned and went back to her room, trying not to cry with the overwhelming emotion she felt.

Lord Wyldon shivered. That glare was the most intimidating expression he's ever seen, especially on the face of a young girl. He's faced Scanrans before, why should this scare him at all? Surely someone of his experience of war and life of a field knight wouldn't be frightened of that.

Neal walked into Kel's room to see the girl he had some to respect and regard as a best friend, crying. He gasped, and rushed into her room. He embraced her, worried about this strange show of emotion. Did the stump kick her out? He felt her stiffen, and try to make the tears stop. Then after a moment, relax and let it out. He rubbed her back, and rocked back and forth. He got over his shock by thinking of ways to get back at The Stump. But he didn't tell Kel that, she would just scold him. She'd probably say he was doing it to make her a better person. She couldn't say knight anymore. This was just wrong.

Kel mentally slapped herself. How dare she cry! And it was even worse when Neal came in. What a disgrace! Then he hugged her, and she automatically stiffened and tried to stop crying. Then she remembered she wasn't in the Yamani Islands anymore, and melted into her best friends arms. She sat like that, waiting for the flood of tears to stop.


	2. Jump

Kel started packing as soon as Neal left her room

**Hey! This is chapter 2(obviously…)! Please tell me if you think Lalasa should be in it, I'm not sure yet! Thanks!**

Kel started packing as soon as Neal left her room. What to do with Peachblossom? She wondered. There was no way she could afford him. After contemplating, she decided to go with her original plan and ask Daine to take him. That would be a good home.

She turned, startled, when she saw Stefan Groomsman standing in the doorway. She almost breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him. She was expecting Joren and his cronies any time now.

"Kel, Kel! Thank you so much! I don't know what would have happened to him if you didn't own him!" Stefan was practically bouncing with excitement. Kel would have smiled if she didn't feel so sad. He rushed into her room, and almost threw the papers he held in his hand at her. She scanned them, and felt a big grin break out on her face. It said 'Paid in Full' and was made out to Keladry of Mindelan. There was red wax and everything. There were other papers to pay for food and lodging, for the next 5 years, wherever that may be. She had never seen anything more official looking.

"He's purchased? But how? I didn't! This must be a mistake." She added the last part quickly, hoping he didn't notice and try to fix it.

"No! He's bought, in your name! I can't tell you who it was, though. They threatened me if I did…"

"That's alright. I know who it was." Kel's mask was back, firmly in place. It not, she would start bawling with happiness. Life without the big, ill tempered horse she had come to love would have been terrible. It had to be her unknown benefactor, right? Who else? Stefan left, and Kel felt herself fall back into her original stupor. Grief.

She decided to clear her head, and walked outside into the cool night air. She still had to figure out how to tell the sparrows. Her friends. Her parents. Kel sighed. She loved looking up at the stars. She tripped over a mound of fur, lying in the dirt. She rolled and slapped the ground, as she was taught. She picked it up, and saw the ugliest dog she could have imagined. After looking around and seeing no one looking for it, she picked the poor pup up and carried him to Daine. On the way, she wondered how to tell her what had happened. At least she could do a bit more good before leaving.

Kel knocked on the door, and leaned in when it opened. Daine saw the dog right away, and started examining it. Kel poured out the story of how she came to meet him, starting with the news. Daine went to hug Kel, and told her what she had learned of the mutt.

"He says his name is Jump, and he needs some healing, and something for worms. Oh, he's just a pup. You should take him, after I give him some medicine," She told her friend, handing him back. Kel nodded reluctantly, and started to walk back to her room, when Daine called out. "Kel! I really am sorry. I know you would have done great things as a knight, and I know you're going to do great things anyway. Don't stop trying for your shield. Lord Fish face is old, I'm sure he'll retire soon. When he does, try again for your shield. I know you can do it. And I've never seen a noble kinder than animals, other than a few. You're something special, remember that." Kel tried to say something as beautiful and kind back, but knew she didn't have it in her. Instead she settled with an answer more to her abilities.

"Lord Fish face?" She couldn't help but smile.

"Yes. I don't normally show so much disrespect, but in this case he deserves it," Daine answered, laughing. Numair joined her at the door and asked her what was going on. Daine told him the news Kel couldn't bear to repeat again, and he looked as her in sympathy. Kel's anger blazed, but she kept it well hidden. She didn't need his, or anyone's, sympathy. Instead she nodded and, holding her new companion close, walking slowly back to her room. Opening the door, she saw a nasty surprise.


	3. Heartbreak

Instead she nodded and, holding her new companion close, walking slowly back to her room

**Here's chapter 3. Tell me if you like it! :) **

_**Last Chapter:**__ Instead she nodded and, holding her new companion close, walked slowly back to her room. Opening the door, she saw a nasty surprise. _

_Joren and his cronies must have been here_, she thought. Although she did have the magic key, she had left the door open. What could have happened? She was leaving the next day. She shook her head at her stupidity and leaned farther in the doorway.

Everything was a wreck. It was even worse than her first day here, not even a year ago. But the worst thing, the thing that really brought on the rage was the sight awaiting her on the other side of her bed. _Old bed_, she corrected herself. That brought on a whole new wave of shame and sadness, but she pushed it back down. Peering around the bed, her heart felt as thought it had stopped.

Her prize, her favored weapon, the precious gift from her mother, was lying there. Broken in two. Fighting even more tears -she seemed to be doing that a lot lately- she examined the glaive closer. It wasn't exactly in two, she saw, but the break was just half way. She sniffled. It could be fixed, but it would always be a weak spot in the future. Sighing, she wrapped a cloth she found on the floor (one of her dresses was in pieces) and tied in securely to the break. She could find someone to fix it later.

She turned and surveyed the rest of the room. Like before, clothes, drapes, sheets… everything was thrown around on the floor. All of her furniture was flipped. Some of it was even broken. Walking into the dressing room and bathroom, she saw the mirror was cracked, and soap smeared on everything. On the walls, someone wrote 'We knew you couldn't do it! Go home, lump!'. Like before, Salma walked in.

"It's a shame the boys act like this. You'd think they would have grown up by now." She walked over the Kel and put a hand on her shoulder. Normally she wouldn't treat a noble this way, but she didn't think it would matter with Kel. Although the older women wanted to hug the miserable girl in front of her, she knew how Kel must be feeling.

"I'm sorry. I know exactly how you feel."

"How would you know? I doubt you've ever been treated this way." Kel didn't let any emotions leak through her carefully set mask. However, she once again felt rage at the sympathy she was receiving.

"Yes. You're feeling shame, rage, and determination. Did I forget any?" Seeing Kel shake her head, she went on.

"I was in a very rich family. I was sent to a school to learn how to be a 'proper lady'." She sneered at the phrase. "We were fairly new to this, so no one had accepted us. The girls, girls can be quite vicious you know, had destroyed my room. They never talked to me. Keep in mind I was young, close to your age, 10 or 11. To someone that young, and not as strong as you, this was heartbreaking. All I wanted was to fit in. And then I was told I should go home, that I was not fit to be a lady. My family disowned me. Apparently they liked this new life style more than me and didn't want people to look down on them because of me." Salma shook her head sadly. "_Terrible_ reason. So I came here, to become a maid. Look where I am now, then head of the servants in the pages wing."

Kel was speechless about what she had just learned about Salma, one of the first people to be kind to her at the palace. Mentally comparing their situations she realized hers wasn't quite as bad as Salma's. She had a fierce desire to hug Salma, but ignored it. Kel nodded and turned away, starting to clean up.

"I told you the first day, this is our job! I will pack for you, also. Why don't you go talk to your friends? Come back later," She said, ushering Kel out of the room. Kel looked back to see Salma bent over, picking up the mess.

_I have to get back at Joren, one last time. I can't let him get away with this and think he_ _won._ With that comforting thought, she walked to Neal's room where her study group was celebrating their passing. She braced herself and made sure her mask was well in place, then walked in.

"Hi. Have you heard the news?" She asked warily.


	4. Sharing The news

**Chapter 4! Saturday I got my haircut, and the stylist's name was Kel! It was awesome… Review if you have any questions! I'm sure you will…Oh, and I'm sorry if the study group has any issues, like I forgot someone, or they're OOC. **

"Hi. Did Neal tell you what Lord Wyldon said?" Kel asked her friends.

"No! He wouldn't tell us! Not fair! You're staying, right? You're better than most of us!" Seaver hoped.

"He said no, didn't he? You have your Yamani mask on again." Merric told her sadly.

"Yes. I can't stay. I'll have to do something else to protect the realm. Kel told them softly, not letting any of her sadness show. What she didn't tell them were her plans to become a knight.

"We have to get back at the stump! You don't deserve this! Why don't we take a-" Neal was cut off when Kel lightly cuffed him.

"You will do nothing. I just wasn't good enough. However, you could help me take revenge on Joren, Vinson, and Garvey. They destroyed my room again, like the first day. And they broke my glaive." Kel told them, her voice still barely audible.

"How?" Cleon asked, excited at the thought of revenge.

"Oh, Kel, I'm so sorry. I know what that meant to you." Neal was as heartbroken as he suspected Kel was. "And you are good enough, don't think you're not!"

"Well, we could ambush them." Prince Roald slyly said, getting them back on the subject of Joren.

"Anyone want to use honey and chicken feathers?" Neal suggested, rubbing his hands together.

"Maybe. We need to make a plan." Kel already had one in mind. Quietly she told them what she thought they could do. Better than anything they could come up with, the group agreed. They settled down to plan, already forgetting Kel's news.

But Kel didn't. It still filled her with a deep, aching rage every time she thought of it. Which was pretty much always. _At least they forgot and aren't being sympathetic. _

N POV

Neal looked worriedly at Kel. Her glaive was probably her favorite thing in that entire room_. I wish she wouldn't deal with her emotions like this, just pushing them back_.

He didn't say anything though. Somehow, he didn't think she'd appreciate it.

Instead of dwelling, he listened closer to what Kel was telling them. _Hmmm…revenge. Sounds good!_

"Anyone want to use honey and chicken feathers?" He really liked that idea.

Kel gathered the boys up and told her plan. _It's pretty good, although the chicken feathers would have been good. _He thought in retaliation to what she said.

Clapping her hands, they separated and began their plan. Soon only Kel and Neal were left in the room. He was about to leave when Kel took his arm and dragged him back in, closing the door. He was going to say something about the door but didn't think it would matter if they were caught.

K POV

They all seemed to like her plan. She clapped her hands then gestured for them to leave. When she and Neal were the only ones left in her room, she grabbed his arm and closed the door. She sighed on the inside in relief. She thought he would protest.

"Listen, I want you to do something. Will you keep the war on hazing if this doesn't work?" This almost pained her. She hated sharing her feelings at all. Seeing him nod, she went on.

"You're my best friend. I'm really going to miss you. But don't worry, I will see you again. No matter what happens." She told him in her strait forward way. _I know what will happen. I'm leaving, _she thought.

"I'll miss you too. And I'll take that as a promise." He smiled, surprised she was telling him this.


	5. The Prank

**Here's chapter 5. Yes, yes. I know the chances of this working are 1 to nothing, but go along with it, okay? Thanks! Please review! **

**-Rach**

"Okay. Who wants to do it?" Kel asked the boys, hoping someone would volunteer. She needed someone to pretend to go to Joren's side, someone who came up with a 'plan' to make The Girl cry.

"I will!" Cleon said excitedly. He wanted to have a big part in revenge. "I would do anything for you, my pearl!"

"Okay, thanks. And stop with the nicknames. Do you have something planned to convince them you're serious about switching sides?"

"Yes, mother." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Okay, go now. We have to set this now or never." Cleon hurried away in the direction of Joren's room.

C POV

He knocked hesitantly, trying to put on a good show. Joren opened his door, and glared at the red-headed giant in front of him.

"What do you want?" He asked angrily.

"Listen, Kel didn't deserve to stay, I see that now. I'm glad she's not. However, I want to put in one last prank. Would you like to help me?" Cleon didn't believe this himself, but he hoped Joren would.

"Come in. Do you have one in mind?" Joren asked, inviting him in.

"Well…"

K POV

"They're coming! Quick, act sad!" Seaver instructed his friends. Joren and his cronies walked towards them. In their hands they carried jugs. Someone else might think they contained drinks or were empty, but the study group knew better. They were filled with oil stolen from the kitchen. Kel knew Cleon was somewhere hidden, waiting for his part in the plan to come into action.

Kel immediately put on her Yamani mask, while Neal and the others tried their best to keep from laughing and look melancholy. It worked. Joren sneered as he walked by, and his friends gave mean smiles.

J POV

This was going to work! Finally, a chance to prank The Girl! He had tried to come up with something mean, but couldn't. The gods must have agreed with him when it came to his opinions about her, because her 'friend' came to him with a plan sure to work.

First, they had to put this oil in a trail leading to Lord Wyldon's office. Next he had to lure Kel and the others there with Cleon as bait. This was going to work!

K POV

This was going to work! Joren thought Cleon was on his side, but he was very wrong.

Soon, Cleon would be at the start of the trail of oil, and Joren would pretend to be beating him up with Vinson and Garvey. Kel and the others would walk past on their way from the library, where they were supposedly making their goodbyes, to their rooms. Joren thought they would rush to him and slip on the oil, right into the training master's office. However, that wasn't what was going to happen. Instead Kel and her friends would veer the course and push Joren and his friends on the oil, sending _them _sprawling into the office. Oh, and don't forget the fine coating of chicken feathers and honey. The best part? There would have no proof it was them. Sure, Lord Wyldon would suspect, but they couldn't get in trouble. Not that it would matter for Kel. Her friends, though, would be in a tight spot.

20 minutes later, they were walking by where the trap was set up. They just heard Cleon's 'cry of pain', and were rushing to his aid. They had to be convincing. Silently, Kel rushed to the attackers, with Seaver and Neal. Just as Joren was about to move out of the way the three friends rushed to Joren, Garvey, and Vinson, pushing them with all their strength. Faleron and Merric came out behind some big pots and ran along the sliding boys, one dumping honey while the other tossed feathers. That done, they ran the short distance back to their friends, then they all went together to Neal's room to celebrate. And make their real last goodbyes.


	6. Chickens?

Lord Wyldon POV

**Sorry it took me so long to update, and such a short chapter! I've just been really busy! **

**And this chapter is dedicated to **_**xxTunstall Chickxx**_** for giving me the idea. Thank you!**

Lord Wyldon POV

Mithros! Did he make the wrong decision? The Girl was as good, if not better that all the boys. _Well, I can't go back now. That would hurt my pride terribly._

He decided to go back to his office and finish some paper work. He had just walked in his office when the study group, as they had come to be known, walked by. It looked like they were making their final goodbyes. He frowned, and once again questioned his decision.

A few hours later…

He was about to leave, when he heard yelling. Rolling his eyes, he stepped out. However, there was a problem. 3 chickens were speeding towards him! _Chickens?! What is this, a farm?_

Upon further inspection, he saw it was actually 3 boys. He scrambled back into his office, and was about to close the door, but the boys crashed into him. Sprawled on the floor, he discovered who it was. Outraged, he yelled.

"What are you doing here? Why are you covered in this mess? Feathers?" He sniffed. "Honey? "

"My l-l-lord! It was th-th-that Lump! Keladry of Mi-Mindelan!"

"Where's your proof?"

"Go look! I'm sure they're still there, laughing!" Lord Wyldon and the boys went to see. All he found was a trail of oil, and some jugs. He hurriedly told a nearby maid to find someone who could check the fingerprints.

When the mage got there, she compared what was on the jar to the 3 boys first.

"These prints are theirs, my lord. They must have tried to frame the girl and her friends." Nodding, Lord Wyldon commanded for them to work their whole summer at the palace, or they shouldn't come back next year. The boys answered with "Yes, my lord" and wandered slowly back to their rooms to unpack.

_How did they think I was so stupid? Oh well, boys will be boys. With punishment work. I don't think this have ever happened. Punishment work over the summer? What if it really was Keladry? _He chuckled. _I bet it was, good for her._

**Lord Wyldon and the boys. Cool band name! On second thought, maybe not…Review and you'll get a preview of the next chapter! I know that was a little OOC for Lord Fishface, but that's okay…**


	7. Running Away

**Here's chapter 7! Tell me any corrections you might see, or ideas you might have. I'd be glad to hear them!**

Holding back tears, Kel gathered what small amount of things she could carry. This was her glaive, a small pack of clothes, some food taken from the kitchen, and a few odds and ends. Her lucky cat necklace, a lucky cat statue (she had plans for it) and a blank book. It was another thing her mother had given her. Although she had decided not to use it during training, it was going to be used now. She decided to take jump, too. Why not?

Kel sat on the floor with writing utensils and wrote two letters. One addressed to her mother and father, the other to Neal. He would read it to the study group, she knew.

Dear Mother and Father,

I really am sorry. But I just couldn't face you or anyone else with my failure. I know I'm good enough. I am running away. Don't worry; you will see me again, soon. I am going to go somewhere- I won't tell you where- and learn far more that I could ever here. After that I will come back and earn my shield. I'm so sorry, please don't be mad and don't worry about me. I can take care of myself.

Love, Kel

The other letter was much the same. She just said things differently and reminded Neal to eat his vegetables. She also told him she loved him, but like a brother. Which was true. The spark had left her, perhaps the thought of not seeing him for so long had lessened it to the point of it going out.

Leaving the letter to her parents by her lucky cats, she took her things and slipped out of the room. It was so dark no one had a chance of seeing her. On her way to the stable she slipped Neal's letter under his door. Next she snuck into the King's Own stable and took a carrier from someone's tack. Jump could ride in this. Now she snuck into where the page's horses were kept. She woke Peachblossom and saddled him, adding the carrier. Jump went right in. Making her way out, a few sparrows flew in and landed on his mane.

The only birds she recognized were Crown and her mate, but there were about 15 others.

Although Kel would love for them to come, she couldn't let them do that. However, as much as Kel tried to shoo them off they just kept coming back. She accepted her new traveling companions with a sigh.

She led the big warhorse to the end of the palace road quickly, running out when the guard was turned.

Kel jumped on Peachblossom and together they flew through the trees to a less used road she had seen before. Thinking, she decided to dye Peachblossom's coat to hide the tell-tale markings. Who knew who she'd see this summer, perhaps people she trained with at the palace. She thought to dye her own hair, too. That was all she could do right now. Until her hair grew out enough to cover her face she would have to be extremely carful with who was around. She would need to get another carrier for the birds, if a smaller one. It could just hang off the side instead of being braced on the back. I _can make one_ _later_, she thought_. I'll need to get some money for supplies. And to fix my glaive. It's no use to me right now._

She was suddenly filled with emotion at the thought of not seeing any of her friends or family for so long. _Just a few years. I can wait until then, can't I?_ Kel finally gave up and let the tears fall, letting Peachblossom carry her.


	8. Reactions

**I hope you like this chapter! This one is also dedicated to ****xxTunstall Chickxx for giving me another great idea. It's also dedicated to my first reviewer, who just happens to be...****xxTunstall Chickxx. By the way, if you look, I was technically my first reviewer. However! That was not me, but my friend...enjoy the chapter! Ask if you have any questions or anything! :) Oh yeah, and does anyone know how old Dom is? At any time. I don't know how big the age differance is between him and Kel. I havn't done a disclaimer...at all...I don't think, so here it is...I don't own PoTs! Wait, i did do one...ANYWAY! here is chapter 8!**

As soon as she heard the news, she was outraged. Alanna the Lioness stormed into the king's meeting room.

"Why did you allow this? Keladry was more than good enough, but Lord Fishface said noooo, she can't stay! What do you have to say for yourself?" Alanna yelled to him sarcastically.

"Lord Fishface?" He asked, sounding as calm as Kel almost always did.

"Daine's word. Don't change the subject." She explained, calming down.

"I'm sorry, but it was his decision. I couldn't do anything, Alanna."

"Have you heard what happened? That she ran away?" The lioness questioned him, getting annoyed again.

"What? Why?" The king obviously hadn't heard the latest gossip.

"Why? Because she wasn't allowed to stay! She's wants to learn what she needs to know then come back to try again for her shield. She could get hurt! Why didn't you let her stay, again?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know! But what am I supposed to do? She left on her own free will. She could be in a different country for all I know!" He informed her, surprised at the news.

"If you don't do anything, I'll just go find knight's work myself, away from here! I don't even want to look at you or this city until she's found and accepted here again. Good bye!" She yelled, turning. Alanna stormed out of the room, running down stairs and through halls to get out of the palace. Once she did she jumped on her horse and thundered down the road leading out of the city.

"Jon, dear. I think you made a mistake." The queen told her husband, walking in the room.

"I just saw Alanna running through the palace like the whole Scanra army was after her. Was she that mad about Keladry of Mindelan not being allowed to stay?"

"Yes. What do I do?" He asked her in misery.

"Just wait. She'll come back eventually. And if she doesn't, she will when Keladry arrives back here. She will, too. I know it." Thayet was very sure of her prediction.

"Okay, I trust you. I'm just worried what Alana will do. I can't even imagine it." He told her worriedly.

"She said that she's sorry, but she knows she's good enough and wants to learn enough that no one can deny her of her shield. She also said not to worry or be mad, and she reminded me to eat my vegetables," Neal told the study group with a smile.

"She wants us to continue the war against the hazing of first years, too."

"This is so unfair! Why did she leave?" Cleon asked angrily.

"She said she just wants to learn more." Neal scanned the rest of the letter. "It says that she's going to leave a sign eventually that she's okay, every now and then."

"Like what?" Prince Roald asked.

"Something only she could have, a letter, something that's wouldn't be meaningful to anyone else, I'm assuming." He answered.

"All we can do is what she said. Fight the war, and look for the signs." Seaver told the boys. He got assorted answers of 'Yeah, I guess so,' and some mumbling.

**I'll do some more like this eventually, with other characters besides Kel...just to see what everyone else is doing. And I just had to use Lord Fishface again. Oh, and I won't be able to update for a few days since I'll be in Florida, and when I get there I may have to find a computer. I'm bringing my laptop but i don't know if I'll have a connection...oh well, my problems, not yours! Please review! I REALLY need to know the age difference between Kel and Dom! So if you know...**


	9. Neal

**Hey everybody! Sorry it took so long to update! I didn't have internet connection...Hope you like this chapter! Please review, I love them! Sorry if there's anything inaccurate or something…just tell me in the review…and just so you know, even though Kel would only be 11 by now, she looks older because of her height…I guess…just go along with it…And I decided Dom is 6 years older than Kel. Thanks to anyone who answered that! :)**

A man tossed Kel a coin. She put it in her pocket and handed him his drink. She walked carefully back to the bar. This was her 5th day working here, and already she had enough money to get her glaive fixed. It was dropped off and was to be finished in 2 days. She couldn't wait to have it in her hands again.

By tomorrow she could buy all the dye she needed for both of them and the leather to make the carrier for the sparrows. The thought gave her new energy and Kel walked with a new spring in her step. She'll be able to quit in just a few days!

Her shift ended and she went to her rented room next door to the tavern. She exercised and stretched, then went to sleep.

The next day…

Kel woke up and took her pay from the night before. She walked around until she found a hair-cutter's shop. Walking in, she tried to look confident. She found what she was looking for right away. A potion to dye her hair. She picked one to make it black, and then got several more bottles. One for her, the rest for Peachblossom. She paid for it, and saw she still had enough to start buying provisions. She picked dried things, fruit and meat. Next she bought a couple of water skins.

She looked in a separate part of the market. Now she would buy a couple of things for herself. She started with another pair of breeches and a shirt. Nest she got a couple more loincloths and a few extra pairs of stockings. She decided to get another pair of shoes, but would have to wait for more money. But now it was almost time for her to work, just getting things set up and cooked. She wouldn't have to _really_ work until later.

Now it was time for her glaive. She quickly found the shop she had dropped it off at and walked in. There it was, behind the table serving as a counter. Her hands twitched to hold it.

"What is a girl like you doing here, picking up this pretty little piece? How about I keep this for you so you don't hurt yourself?" A big, hairy man held it in his hands, keeping it out of her reach.

"Please give it to me. I already paid half. If you want the other, give it to me now." Kel was about ready to leap at him. If he didn't give it to her right now…

"No, I don't think I will." He tried to attack her with it. Sweeping it in her direction, he laughed when it almost cut her arm.

He didn't seem to expect her. She braced her arms on the wooded table in front of her and flung herself up. Once on the other side, she kicked him where it hurts and punched his nose. Hearing it crack, she continued to jab him in the gut. He fell down, looking stunned.

"Thank you," she said, taking her prize from his sweaty hands. "Now I think I'll just take this off your hands. And you're not getting the other half, by the way." She walked around the table serving as a counter and left the shop, running to get back to her room in time. She had to drop off her purchases before going to the tavern.

She made it in time, and was going to get a table their first round of drinks when someone walked in she didn't want to see for a while. _What if he recognizes me?_ It was Neal.


	10. Dom

**Tell me how you like it, and any ideas you may have. I'd be glad to hear them!!**

Last time…

She made it in time, and was going to get a table their first round of drinks when someone walked in she didn't want to see for a while. _What if he recognizes me?_ It was Neal.

Kel rushed to drop off the drinks she had and practically ran back to the kitchen. She could act sick…what else was there? She needed some more supplies, and it would be hard to get the money anywhere else.

"Hey! You! Get out there! I'm not paying you and letting you keep your tips just to sit there! Go!" The owner of the tavern was starting to get mad, so she took a deep breath and visualized herself as a cool, clear, calm lake. She went back out, making sure to go to the other end of the room from Neal and his father.

"Hello. Is there anything you want? I can get you some drinks." She told the men sitting at the big table she walked up to. Too late she saw her mistake. Sitting at this table were a group of the Kings Own. She kept her head down and prayed they wouldn't notice or recognize her.

"Yes! One for each of us, girl!"

"Right away." She mumbled, still not daring to look up.

"Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you," One of them commanded. Kel immediately did, and instantly regretted it. She recognized them as the ones who had watched her that day on Peachblossom.

"You look familiar. Do I know you?" A different man asked, Kel shrugged then glanced at him. He looked similar to Neal!

"Aren't you Keladry of Mindelan? The girl who got kicked out of page training then ran away?" He asked.

"Straight forward, aren't you?" she mumbled. "No, I am not. My name is Donna of Haresfield. Not many people have even heard of it, it's so small" Kel hoped he would just give up and let her leave. No chance, apparently.

"I have been all over this country in my year as a trainee, and never once have I encountered even that name. You _are_ Kel, aren't you? My cousin has written to me so much I feel as though I know you. My cousin is your friend Neal, by the way." The young man figured it out quickly, and he couldn't believe it. He'd seen her a few times around the palace and never had he seen that name on the lists in the great library. He knew who she was, also, by her face. It was clear of all emotions.

"Please don't say anything!" She begged, letting her mask fall. She couldn't let him tell anyone. She whispered this, as the man did before. She could tell no one had heard them.

"Why not? Why are you doing this?" He asked her, curious.

"If I'm going to earn my shield I must work hard and find someone who can teach me. I'm not going to get that at home, and my parents wouldn't let me leave. What other choice do I have?" Kel Shrugged. She really didn't see any other way. But why was she telling him this?

"I won't, and I think I have a way for you to get your wish. I am only doing this because I agree with you and want to help. I can tell there's nothing I can do to change your mind. By the way, my name's Dom."

"Uh, hi. What is this idea, because if you don't have one I'm ready to run." It was true. She had everything packed up and could leave at a moments notice.

"You can be my helper. Well, our squad's. I'm sure our commander won't mind. We could all teach you what you need to know. I don't know much yet, actually. I'm not technically in the own. But I will be!"

"Uhm, I'm not sure if I can trust you. Would you tell Neal?"

"Of course not. Come on! We could dye your hair. Probably dark and we need to get you a horse."

"Actually, I've already bought dye and I have Peachblossom."

"Good. Is there anything else you need?"

"Some more money would be good, that's why I'm working here."

"Okay. Is this enough?" He handed her more than she could have made in the next few days.

"Yes, thank you. Now I can quit, and I won't have to face Neal." She told him, turning for the kitchen.

**Please review. And I know it would be weird for Kel to be so trusting... **


	11. The Kings Own

**Chapter 11!! I won't be able to update for the next week...sorry! I will be camping with my family and best friend. But when I get back I will update on a regular basis...every few days. No more than 4 days between each. I think...Anyway! Please review so I know how I'm doing :)**

"Stay still, will you?" Kel told her horse, trying to make him stop shaking. He was just doing it mess her up, she was sure. Right now she was attempting to use the potions she had purchased to dye his fur black as night. His head was the same strawberry color to just past his ears. She had also left his lower legs alone.

"I'm going to call you Peony for now on, okay? Only in public." She informed him. "And I will be Klaire." She scoffed. Kel hated that name.

"How's it going?" Dom asked Kel. "You looked like you're having trouble."

"I'm fine. He's done, actually. Now it's my turn. Can you dump it on my head, please?" She asked the older man, handing him the potion.

"Sure." He answered, uncorking it. He upended it and poured it on. Kel shook her head and looked in the small mirror in front of her.

"Wow! I didn't think hair color would make such a difference!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah, it does. Once my hair was changed to a bright green. Hardly anyone recognized me." He shared the story with a smile.

"Why?" Kel asked, truly curious.

"I lost a bet. I thought it was going to rain one day and was wrong. And so, I woke up woke up with green hair. I didn't even notice it until I saw how many people we staring."

"Oh." Kel answered. "Why green?"

"I don't know. But it took 3 weeks to change back. It was an...experience trying to get people to take me seriously with green hair."

"I could imagine." She told him, smiling.

"So, tonight I will introduce you to the men. Did you decide on a name?"

"Yes. Klaire. Spelled with a K." She told him. Dom noticed her resentment and asked about it.

She was looking at her reflection again. Marveling still at the change, she shrugged. "I really don't like the name." She told him.

"So why did you pick it?" He asked. This time he was the curious one.

"People who knew me might guess if I picked a name I like, wouldn't they? I would think that you knew this, being with the King's Own." She decided to tease him.

"Well, uh, I do! I wanted to, uh, quiz you! Yeah, that's it. Uh, I mean, yes! That is it!" Although he was trying to act smart, he was failing miserably.

"Uh-huh. I'm sure." Kel told him, keeping her mask on to hide her smile. Dom backed out, mumbling about having to scrape the pudding off of the sun to hide his embarrassment. "Men." Kel said to herself, rolling her eyes.

A few hours later...

"Can I have your attention, please?" Dom asked the squad, walking up to them. They turned and looked at him. Kel was nervous about their reactions. Hopefully they accepted her!

"This is Klaire. She'll be riding with us for a little while, since she's an orphan and has no place else left to go." Kel grew sad at his words. If only she _could _go back! But no,

she didn't think she could handle that.

"Hello! But why do you want to join us? Why not go to an orphanage?" One of the men called.

"Would you want to stay in an orphanage? I don't think so. And I want to learn how to fight." She answered, putting as much truth in it as possible. She sat with them at their fire, talking, learning names. Eventually she got tired and went to lay with Peachblossom.

"Just a few days, maybe weeks," She whispered to him as she fell asleep. "Then we'll be able to get out of here and join the spies of Tortall. I bet they would take me. I already know how to fight, and I'll learn more here. I'm sure I can pick up spying really quickly. They could teach me so much there. Then no one" she broke off as she yawned "can deny me my dream."

Kel fell asleep that night laying on her big horse dreaming about her friends.

**Did you like it? I hope so! **


	12. Glaives and Daggers

**Here it is! Chapter 12! Do you like? Sorry! But right after I got back from Florida, I went camping for a week... Then I got breaking dawn...which was amazing! You know, fourth twilight book...if you havn't read them, you should! They're amazing! By the way, this is just a filler chapter...**

Kel awoke to the smell of cooking meat, campfire smoke, and men talking. _Where am I?_ She thought, instantly awake. As soon as she sat up the previous day's events crashed down on her. _Oh, right. _She shook her head to clear her thoughts and left her horse to get a drink from the stream.

"Oh! I see you're up!" Dom shouted to her, striding over.

"Yeah, I am. Is there any food I can get?" She asked. As soon as she woke her Yamani mask was on. Her face was expressionless as if she were in the Islands.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked her, handing her a roll stuffed with eggs and ham.

"This tastes good! And yes, I did." She told him, keeping back a smile. He handed her a few more which she gladly ate, feeding pieces to Jump. As soon as she took the last bite Kel took down her glaive from where it was kept. She made a sheath that could be attached to the saddle. She still had to make the one for her sparrows.

"Wow! What is that?" Dom asked her staring wide-eyed at the weapon she held in her hand.

"It's a glaive, from the Islands. It's the weapon all the royal ladies learned to use. It's my favorite." She explained. She took a couple steps back from him and began a pattern dance. It started out simple but quickly turned complicated. Dom looked on with an astonished expression. Soon she gathered an audience.

She finally stopped, the blade making a nick in a tree trunk. She was sweat covered and her hair lay in damp clumps, but right now she didn't care. Kel laughed. _I've still got it._

"Wow." One of the men stuttered. His response startled Kel, who was so into her exercise she didn't notice the gathered group.

"Huh?"

"That was amazing. How'd you learn all that?" This was another man, one she hadn't talked to yet.

"I get around, meet people, and learn things from them. I'm hoping to learn things from you, too." She didn't think telling them the truth would help keep her identity hidden.

"I think we could help you with that. What would you like to learn first?" Dom asked, thinking.

"What weapon could I learn?"

"Well, throwing stars or daggers, swords, archery," Answered the man who spoke before.

"By the way, my name is Marcus of Garsen. Marc for short. I joined the own 3 years ago."

"How about the throwing daggers? I've never done anything with those before." Kel told the group, smiling at their acceptance.

"Okay, that's fine. We could buy you some at the next town. But for now, you can borrow mine. I haven't used them for years. On second thought, you might even get to keep them if you want. Maybe win them in a bet or game of cards. I don't know." Marc told her, getting them out of his saddle bag.

"Thank you. Are you sure?" She was surprised at the gesture, but accepted gratefully. She took them and walked back over to the group with Marc.

"Okay," Gary of Kereth, a seven year member of the King's Own, told her. "You hold it like this and keep your eye on the target. Now, bring the knife back, and fling it!"

"Like that?" Kel had thrown it right in the middle of a target that was painted on a sand bag.

"Well, yes. How'd you do that?" Faren of Joliahs Hill asked her.

"I _did_ say I haven't done anything with daggers," She told him, Yamani mask in place. "However, I was really good at the throwing stars in the Islands. This is much the same; I just need to throw it in a slightly different way." She let a small smile through.

"Wow, again." Replied Dom.

**I made people up for the squad, obviously. Any questions?? Ask in zee the review and I will do my best to answer zee question!! Also...Breaking Benjamin is the best band ever!! Please review, they make me feel good...**


	13. See you soon

**Here is chapter 13! Oooh, unlucky! I guess this one **_**is**_** sad...Please review! I want to know if you like it! And I want you all to know, I still have no idea where I'm going with this...**

Three months later:

"Are we going into town?" Kel asked her best friend, Dom. Actually, her second best friend. Her first was still in Corus, well into his second year of page training.

"Do you need anything?" He asked her. "Because I don't think we are."

"No, just curious. Why aren't we?"

"Because we need to hurry to Corus. The king wants us there for reasons only Lord Raoul knows, to be sure." Dom explained to her.

"Lord Raoul?" Kel had met him only a few times, but she instantly knew she like him. "Uhm, actually Dom..."

"Yes?" He was getting suspicious.

"Well, I have learned a lot from you and the men. And soon you'll be a full-fledged member of the Own. "

"No. You are _not_ leaving."

"Think about it. All of my year mates would surely recognize me, not to mention many others."

"I guess you're right, but can't you hide out here or something and then join up with us later?"

"No." It hurt her to say this. "However, I will see you again. That I promise."

"Where are you going?" He inquired.

"I don't know yet." That was a lie. She knew exactly what her destination was. The spies of Tortall. Well, in the long run. First she had to find the spies of Tortall.

"If you're sure." He confirmed with a sinking heart.

"Dom, I love you like I would my best friend. Since you are my second, that works out. I promise I'll be okay. But, I have one thing to ask you."

"Of course, anything."

"Can you give this to Neal? Just put it in his room or something. I don't want him to know it's from you." She told him, handing him a small brown box.

"Yes, sure. Whatever you'd like. Is there any way to tell me you're okay, a sign or something?" He asked her. She almost laughed. Wait until he found out what was in the box.

"Uh-huh, I will. Are you sure I can trust you? You wouldn't tell anyone my location if I told you, right?"

"You can trust me, I promise," Dom told her. She didn't point out that promising had to do with her trusting him.

"Okay, I'll send it to you. However, we need a code. I don't want to be this careful but I don't want anyone coming after me." She had already thought of this and had a paper ready. She handed it to him.

"This is it. Just follow the code to figure out the message. So, this is goodbye? For now, I mean."

"I guess it is. Be careful. And here, take this." Dom handed her a small bag and a sheath. She looked in the bag and discovered money. In the sheath was a beautiful sword."

"I bought the sword for you at the last town. The coin I was saving for new armor. But take it for emergencies. I have more money."

"Thank you so much!" Kel truly didn't know what to say. It was an amazing gift. She would give it back but she might need it. Kel was no fool.

"Good bye. I'm going to miss you." He bent down to give the eleven year old he had grown so close to a kiss on the cheek. She hugged him and mounted Peachblossom, putting her new sword around her waist. Jump hopped in the carrier and the sparrows fluttered down to sit on Kel or the big horse's mane.

Dom smiled, watching Kel glide down the road on her big horse. He knew he'd see her again.

**Sorry if it was sad! I had to make her go her own way again, and I couldn't see them doing it being all smiley, so yeah... I would be open to any suggestions or corrections you may have! Oh, and the next chapter will feature Neal and Dom!**


	14. The Box

**Wow! Chapter 14, when I didn't think I'd get past the first! Enjoy, and please review...I'd like to know what you think of my story. Oh, and if you give me ideas I end up using, the chapter will be dedicated to you because you are just so incredibly awesome! Thank you all so much for reading!**

"Kel, I wish you were here. How do I know you're not hurt, or even dead?" Neal muttered to himself. The study group was in his room contemplating math.

"Ow!" Seaver sat on a small brown box resting on Neal's bed. He shot up and handed it to the bed's owner.

"Sorry, I didn't see it. What is it, anyway?" He asked curios.

"I don't know." He took it from the other boy and untied the leather wrapped around it. When he looked inside he gasped.

"Look at this! Do you know what it means?" He passed around the box's contents and picked up the letter that was sitting under it. He unfolded it and read aloud.

Dear Neal (and the rest of the study group),

I am doing fine. Great, actually. I hope you are all still fighting the war against hazing. And trust me; I would be there with you if I could. You better not be worrying, I'm finding my way. I wanted to give you this before I left, as a parting gift, but thought this would make a better use. Please don't be mad at him when he doesn't tell you anything, meathead. I made him promise not to reveal my secrets. And don't feel bad, I didn't just go up and tell him who I was. He figured it out. Oh, and remember that day in the tavern? It was right after I left. You were there with your father, and I was there meeting your 'friend'. He helped me learn to fight even better and I think he's made me a better person. I wanted so much to talk to you, but I knew I couldn't. Now, however, I have left him and am on my own way. I will tell you where I am eventually, or I might just give you clues. But I keep this promise, I will see you again.

With Love, Kel

"Who's the _he_ she talks about?" Merric asked.

"Did you notice the word meathead?" Neal asked the group. They nodded in response. "Only one person calls me that. My cousin, Dom. She was with him! Come on, The Kings Own arrived yesterday! Let's go see what he can tell us!" He explained angrily. How dare he not tell his cousin the whereabouts of his best friend!

"Uhm, she said not to be mad," Owen told them.

"Yeah, well. You don't know Kel. You would want to do this if you did." Neal answered. On his rush out the door he tossed the present onto his bed. Owen looked back at it before following the rest of the boys out.

"Hmmm, a cat. I wonder why that's important. I'll have to ask later." He said to himself.

The group left and found Dom's rooms. Neal politely knocked on the door, and waited for an answer.

"Why, hello! If it isn't my cousin!" Dom cried. He quickly closed the door again, but Neal's foot was in the way. He could have still closed it but didn't want it to break a bone. He sighed. "Kel said you would be mad even if she told you not to be."

"Yes, and she's right. Where is she?" Neal asked.

"I don't know. She said she would send a coded letter when she got there. We each have a code sheet. Wow, I think that girl is going to make me a better member of the Own." He thought aloud.

"Will you tell me where she is when she tells you?" Neal asked his cousin.

"She told me not to tell anyone, but if she says in the letter I can then I will." Dom informed him.

"That's not good enough. I have to know where she is! I don't know what I would do if I don't. You will tell me." Neal told Dom icily, walking closer and closer until his nose was almost pressed against his cousin.

"Okay, okay!" Dom agreed, walking slowly back with his hands up.

**Does anyone know how to see how many hits you've gotten? Just curious, I wanted to know how many people have read this! :) Thanks!**


	15. An old Friend

**Chapter 15 is up! (Obviously...) I hope you like it!! Oh, and sorry these are so short! They look so much longer on microsoft word! Also, I'd like to thank everyone who told me how to see how many hits I've gotten. I've had -faints- over 4000!! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! And I'm sorry for any mistakes. If you see any, please tell me! Now, enjoy! **

Kel groaned. She was the most saddle sore she had ever been before. Although she tried to walk earlier, to give both her and her horse a rest, it felt too bad. However, right after she climbed back on, she gave herself a mental slap in the head. She slid right back down and began walking, wincing every now and then. After about a half an hour she noticed a sign, she walked up to it and got close to read it.

"Well Peachblossom. We're almost there. See this?" She pointed. Jump hopped down from his carrier and the sparrows flew from theirs. The sign stated that they were nearing Syd Que Hart Pears. Although Syd Que Hart Pears just sounded like a pear seller, Kel knew something the average traveler wouldn't. It was an anagram for Spy Headquarters. The SHQ was where she had to go.

She started running with a new urgency. The knowledge that she was almost there made her excited. Peachblossom kept pace with her, with many of the sparrows catching a ride on him. Crown perched on her right shoulder with her mate on the left.

Eventually she used her head and got back on her horse. It was still a far way to go and running would take much longer, not to mention make her extremely tired. She was still about a half day away from the place that was her destination.

Kel stopped to rest Peachblossom and practiced her sword skills while he drank from a nearby stream. When she heard something shuffling the leaves around her she spun, sword ready. She giggled at how high strung she was right now when a squirrel ran out of the bush and into a nearby tree. She looked out into the forest, marveling at how big it was.

She shivered. It suddenly felt like someone was watching her. She walked back to Peachblossom and put a wary hand on his big neck. She whispered comforting words to the skittish horse. Kel furrowed her brows in frustration. Somebody was watching her but she couldn't find them. She blinked and shook her head a little bit then put her Yamani mask on.

Holding the sword out on a comfortable position she turned in a circle. Then she heard a slow laughter.

"Very good. I think you'd make a fine addition to our community." A woman told her, walking silently through the leaves.

"What are you doing here?" Kel asked her, the mask falling from sheer surprise.

"I train our warriors in hand to hand combat. But, as I recall, you are quite good. You could move up in our ranks."

"Thank you. I hope I do. Then I can go back and earn my shield."

"Yes, I think you will." The woman laughed. "Now, you already have survival practically down to a science, and your knowledge in the various weapons is amazing! I'm sure you'll be fine. I won't be there all the time, since I have to train the pages."

"Of course." Kel answered, happy with how the woman thought of her.

"Now, come this way." She told Kel, leading her through the forest. "I was watching you. Traveling through the forest."

"Does this mean the king knows?" She asked warily.

"No. This is kept very secret, even from him. I can make sure you being here is confidential, though."

"Thank you." Kel told her, bowing. "Thank you so much, Shang Wildcat."

**So, how many people saw that coming?? I didn't know it was until I wrote it! Please review :) Oh, and I just read an awesome book! Marked, by P.C. Cast. Although it's not as amazing as Twilight, you all should read it! It has Vampires! :D Spelled Vampyres, by the way. It's awesome!!**


	16. First Day

**Chapter 16! Please read and review! :) The nicknames are from a different story I'm writing, not a ff. **

"Uhm, Hello. My name is Kel." Keladry of Mindelan told the room full of teens and pre-teens. Although they didn't look like much she knew they were all spies. Some who've had assignments, some who haven't. She didn't know any of their names. She didn't know any of their personalities or backgrounds. One thing she did know, they were all deadly and incredibly skilled.

She had her Yamani mask on, which was good. If she didn't she would have lost their very small amount of respect. She would have looked down, embarrassed or sad. Maybe she would have shed some tears, because their silence was deafening. But she held her head high, and walked straight to an empty seat at a near empty table. No one looked at her or acted as though they cared.

Soon everyone was talking again. 4 girls sitting at the other end of her table scooted toward her.

"Hello. My name is Rena. This is Casi, and Sera." Rena said, pointing at each girl in turn.

"We all arrived here last week. That's how we became such good friends so quickly." Casi informed her.

"When you're new, you basically become an outcast. I don't know why, but that's how it works around here." Sera explained.

"I haven't heard those names before." Kel noted.

"Oh, they're nicknames. Like I assume Kel is." Casi responded.

"Oh."

"So, have you spent some time in the Islands?" Rena began conversationally.

"Yes, I have. Most of my childhood." She answered.

"I could tell because of your face. I used to have the same one, all the time. I can still do it but I usually just drop the mask now that I'm back here." Rena told her.

"How much time have you spent there?" Kel wondered.

"I'm actually from there. My parents were exiled from Tortall before I was born. They sent me to my grandmother to learn common. Then when I was 5 I went back tp my parents. That's why I don't have an accent. I just came back to Tortall about a month ago."

"So how did you end up here?"

"Where else could I go? I didn't have any other option."

"Oh. I didn't either."

"Please, children. Stand and recite the prayer." Someone owning a nasally voice commanded.

"Just pretend you know it, mouth the words. You'll memorize it soon enough." Rena

instructed quickly.

"We will do our best with you, goddess and mithros. Please help us to never stop fighting and always keep going. Thank you for the wonderful meal. Keep us safe as we honor you." The entire room whispered. Kel mouthed the words, as she was told, and was surprised to learn she liked it. It wasn't like what they said at the palace, where the training master might say it is warning to someone, or to embarrass them.

"Kel, please come here after eating." The woman told the room before turning and sitting at a table.

"It's okay; they'll just try to find your strengths and weaknesses." Casi comforted.

"Where's the food?" Kel asked the girls, discovering she liked them. They weren't at all like the boys in Corus. They were all misfits here, just trying to survive.

"Wait for it." Sera cautioned. About 3 minutes later, she started noticing people leaving to the front of the room then coming back with food on trays they held in their arms.

"The quietest and stillest go first. Since we're already dead last for talking this much, we're pretty much sunk. It's okay, though. We can wait." However, Rena's growling stomach suggested otherwise.

"See, their way of looking at it is practice being totally motionless and quiet the way you might have to when listening in to a certain conversation you aren't supposed to hear. The tables go one at a time because your partners have to pay for what you do, you for them."

"So we're partners?" She wondered, barely moving her lips. Rena grunted in agreement, trying not to move at all.

"It's better than I hoped." Kel whispered to herself.

**The next chapter is her first day of training, and then I'll skip around. If I did each week this fic will be the longest in history. Probably not, but you get my point. Also, I'm starting school so I won't be able to review as much as I'd like to, but I'll shoot for once weekly at least.**


	17. Komodo

**Here's chapter 17. Please review!**

Kel awoke to the rising sun. She stretched and fed Jump and the sparrows with some food she had begged from the kitchen the night before. Walking she perimeter of the room, she smiled. It was quite likable.

There was a bed in the far right corner, with a bedside table. In the left corner stood a desk. Farther along the wall was a weapons rack, and in the left corner closest to the centered door was a chest of drawers. Another door was also centered on the far wall. Through there was the privy, mirror, and sink. The floor was hardwood with a carpet in the middle.

She got her glaive down from the rack and did a pattern dance before dressing. Quietly, with much time to spare, she began the walk to the dining hall. She left early to look around.

At the end of the long hallway of rooms was a turn. She could go left, right, or straight. Ahead were more rooms. Left were the teacher's quarters. She chose right. She passed the kitchens and a huge library. There were classrooms, too. Finally, at the end of the long hall, she encountered another choice of turns. Straight. She sat at the table with her new friends.

"Hey, Komodo!" Rena called to Kel.

"Good morning, Rottweiler!" Kel grinned. She soon learned that everyone has codenames. They always had to be used unless they were in their room or dining hall. Then it was optional. However, they were always practiced in presence of a stranger.

The names have nothing to do with the actual people, just the name of an animal starting with the same letter as the person. Kel's name was Komodo. Although she had never heard of one, apparently it's a dragon in a different realm.

The schedule was pretty simple for Kel. Breakfast at the eighth bell, no hardship. At the ninth bell they clean up then go to their first class. Hers was math. Next she would go to physical training. This was just various things, like running around a track or swimming across a lake as fast as possible. Then it's language. All the students here had to learn as many as possible. Starting with Scanran, then the Yamani Islands ect. Immediately after was customs. She would learn the customs of the different realm she may be in spying. Next horses, then disguises, and next was hand-to-hand combat, followed by an array of weapons training. Everything from how to clean them, to how to use them, to their history.

Kel was in the same class as at least one of her new partners. As it turned out, everyone was put in a group of five. When one went on a mission, they all did. It may just be to watch out for them, but they were never alone. She was also in a room close to them.

Everyone's schedule's were different, at least a little bit. That way they could get more one on one time.

Lunch, as they called it, could be any time. They were pretty laid back here. It went on from the 11th bell the 14th. Dinner was at the 19th bell. All pretty simple. After her last class and before dinner she could do anything she liked. Practice something; go to a teacher for tutoring; sleep; read; play rock, paper, scissors with someone. After dinner it was the same as before.

The day went by fast, blurring by in a tornado of names and skills, new and already known. Now she found herself in the room her room with Serpent, Rottweiler, Koala, and Cheetah.

"What do you guys want to do?" Casi asked.

"Uhm, I dunno. What would you usually?" Kel answered.

"Well, we all have a favored weapon. I like the bow and arrow ensemble." She answered.

"My favorite is the sword." Rena informed.

"I really like hand-to-hand. It's so much fun!" Sera added.

"I _do_ love my glaive," Kel admitted quietly.

"Cool! Anyway, we teach each other how to use them better. Or how to use it, if we never have before. There's nothing much else to do since we don't have homework." Casi explained.

"I'll teach you guys how to use my glaive." Kel offered.

"Awesome! I've always wanted to try!" Rena told her.

**Hope you liked it! :D**


	18. Math and PT

**I know this probably wouldn't be what a class would be like, but since I have no knowledge of how it would be...just go along with it...**

"Please do these problems. The first one done with all the problems correct can skip the test tomorrow." Lady Garnia instructed as she walked out of the room.

Kel smiled grimly and started working. Although she was good at it, math wasn't as enjoyable as other things might be. Like beating others in the training grounds.

In her first week here, Kel had come to enjoy herself. She hadn't made any more good friends, like her partners were, but friends? Sure.

"Done!" She informed the room. Right as she heard another student say,

"Finished! I sooo won! There's no way you did anything but lost! Ha ha!" A boy sitting at the desk next to her jeered.

"What? How stupid can you get?" Kel kept her Yamani mask on securely to keep from glaring. When she took a deep breath to keep her anger under control she turned to see who had spoken. She hated bullies.

"Hey, leave her alone. You probably didn't even get any questions right." Somebody said, sitting at the other end of the room. Kel looked at the speaker, and held back a gasp. He was easily the most handsome boy she had ever seen. He had straight dark hair just past his ears and dark eyes, but a nice smile. He was a few inches taller that she was, very lean, and only about 13. Joren was beautiful, too, but in a different way. He was cold; this new boy had nicer features. They were turned into a scowl right now, though.

"I don't need anyone to defend me." She informed him, ignoring his obvious beauty. He just answered with a chuckle. Kel answered the first boy with a kick to the shin, and turned back to the front of the room. Right then the teacher walked back in.

"So, who's done?" She asked her students. Kel and the other boy, along with a second girl, raised their hands.

"Please hand them into me. I will go over them and get back to you tomorrow. Who was first?"

"He and I finished at about the same time, Meer cat just a few seconds after." Kel answered, gesturing. She walked up to the desk and handed her slate to the instructor. She filed out with the rest of the class and quickly made her way to her next class. Casi caught up to her and walked with her to physical training. Although she wanted to ask who the boy was, she was too embarrassed.

The destination of this class was a grassy field set away from the school. Close by were the practice grounds and weapons class. As soon as she made it there she picked a spot near the meditating instructor and began stretching. Casi sat next to her and did the complicated exercise with her.

"So, did you notice the boy who stood up for you?" Casi asked her. Kel rolled her eyes. She was always talking about boys.

"Not really, no. Why?" This time Casi was the one rolling her eyes.

"You can be so oblivious. You know that?" She asked. Before Kel could answer the instructor began doing her job.

"Okay!" She shouted just loud enough for the class to hear. "Today we will run. Run as far, fast, and as hard as you can. We will take 5-minute walking breaks every 15 minutes. Bring your canteens; you'll need them."

"Where will we be running?" Kyla asked.

"Around the perimeter of the headquarters. We take as many detours as you want! Around the lake, by the horses, whatever. Just follow the leader." She answered, pointing to Kel. Apparently she wanted her to lead today. Kel shrugged and began running.

The running was a perfect excuse not to talk to Casi.

**Okay, so the next chapter will take place about a week after this one, just to get the timeline straight. I may say that a few times so you all know. Hopefully I won't get any questions about that. Any others would be fine though, of course!**


	19. Language and Customs

**This is set a little while after the last chapter maybe, just so you know...I'm trying to get it to fit in with the timeline as much as I can. For what, you ask? Hehe, you'll see! **

**Oh, and I'm sorry if Kel's a little OOC. I'm not Tamora Pierce, therefore I can't make it exact. However, if you have any suggestions like 'Kel would say this instead of that' that'd be great! Thanks!**

**Also, I'm sorry it took me so long to update. School has been horrible, then I lost internet for about a week...**

Kel banged her fist into the floor in a rare show of frustration. She had let her precious mask down for just a few seconds. It was put back on just as quickly.

She and 3 other spies in training were sitting on the ground in the language room with an instructor.

"Komodo. You need to make it more guttural. And slur the beginning of it. Now, try telling me a simple sentence." Lady Ruthner instructed. Kel obliged, getting everything right. The kind teacher smiled and turned to the next student.

"Good job! You have such a better handle on this than I do." Sera congratulated from next to her.

"Thanks. But you _are_ getting better!" Kel comforted, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh and how you showed your anger! That doesn't happen much!" Kel promptly shoved Sera, who fell on her back. She quickly scrambled up and hit Kel lightly. Casi leaned back from her circle next to them and flicked both of them.

"Behave!" She told them, before sitting back up and answering a question.

"Yes, Father." They answered together. Casi received that nickname, and Kel got mother for always making them eat their vegetables and such.

"Seriously, though. You should let your mask down more. It's not healthy to not show your feelings.

"Well, apparently it is in the Islands."

"You're not in the Islands anymore, are you?" Kel rolled her eyes and tried to argue her point further, but was interrupted.

"This is so confusing!" The girls heard someone moan from across the room. Sera and Kel looked at each other and said together,

"Rottweiler." It was said both as an explanation and a burden.

"Now, please translate this." Lady Ruthner smiled, handing everyone a piece of parchment, a board, and some chalk. The group got to work.

On the way out Rena piled on the drama.

"That was so hard! How can you two learn that?" She questioned.

"Uhm, easily? It's really not that hard." Sera informed her. Kel shook her head at them and quickly arrived at her next class. She liked customs. You would learn all about how a country worked, how to act in it, a little bit about its' history.

"Good day, students! We have a lot to do today, so please settle down!" Kel stopped her conversation Casi and looked at Lord Ruthner. He was married to the teacher in her last class. They coordinated a lot of things together.

"Okay, those learning Scanran go to this corner, please. Yamani, the back right one." He went on to say the 4 languages that were being learned right by people in this class. Kel and Casi went to their corner. There they found clothing worn by the Scanrans and sighed.

"We're gonna have to wear this, aren't we?" Casi asked despairingly.

"Mithros, probably." Kel answered. Rena nodded, and Sera shrugged.

"Yes, exactly! Please hold up the sheet for each other so you can all get changed, please," the Lord instructed. He wouldn't have bothered if they were all girls, but there were men (him) and boys present.

They obliged, and soon they all were wearing the traditional Scanran dress. Next he led them all outside. Here was a small village, with 4 sections. Each section coordinated with a language, and where it was spoken. It was used a lot for this class, and others.

'I have something fun planned for today. At least, I hope you all will find it fun. You will each live the next hour as if you lived in your realm. Kel smiled at her friends. This _did _sound like fun. She and Rena chose a house and went in. It wasn't full size, of course. The other end of 'town' had those, where students who were going to live in a different realm had to learn how to blend in and act as if they had lived their all their life.

Kel surveyed the house. It had a bedroom, a front room with a kitchen in the back. There was a privy behind the area for spies-in-training, _or SITs_, Kel thought with a smile, to use.

Rena jumped at a knocking at the door, and walked over to open it.

"Yes? Who are you?" She asked in Scanran. They were in character the moment they had walked into town. This was the second time Kel had done this, and knew how it worked.

"I am a messenger boy. I would like to give you this," The visitor told her. Kel had to keep from laughing as she got a coin of Scanran money from a jar in the kitchen. They had to practice everything. She walked to her teacher and handed him the coin, thanking him in the foreign language. He left and Kel opened the paper.

"It says I work as a shopkeeper and you as a blacksmith." Kel read to her friend.

"Well, I guess experience is experience." Rena sighed. She left to go there while Kel made her way to the store. While there she encountered Casi buying for her 'kids' and Sera fixing the roof. She didn't act as though she knew either one. Doing that could compromise her cover if she was spying somewhere.

By the end of the hour, Kel was exhausted. Pretending to be someone else is more tiring than it sounds, apparently. After she got back to the room and changed, Sera linked her arm with Kel's.

"Come on, let's go see our horses!" She suggested, taking note of Kel's tired smile.

**This was a fun chapter to write. If would be so awesome to actually have a class like that! Okay, next chapter is horses and disguises. Please review!**

**Oh, and I actually got past 1000 words!! Yay!!**

**Please review, they make me feel good and update faster :D Even if it's just 'good' or 'loved it'. Although longer ones are easier to answer…And I do try to answer them all.**


	20. Horses and A Surprise

**Chapter 20! WOOOOO!! I got past a thousand words again, much to my amazement. **

"I missed you, boy." Kel quietly comforted her big horse as she wrapped an arm around his thick neck and simultaneously fed him a carrot. She hadn't had a chance to visit him yesterday, since it was storming too much to ride just for practice. It was too much a risk to the horses.

Peachblossom whinnied quietly in her ear, and lipped her face in an attempt at forgiveness. Kel held back a grimace and wiped her features on her shirt.

"Okay mini-spies!" Lady Sabine told the children standing in front her. "Let's begin. Lead your companions out here and we'll ride them through the forest today." She told the children. Kel like Lady Sabine. She was related to Daine the Wildmage, and shared her connection in animals. However, it was strongest with horses.

"Mount up! Let's go, one two three four one two three four. Hurry up!!" She shouted at them. Sera grinned at Kel and clucked to her horse, Starshine. She was named for the white star over her eye, the only other color on her brown body.

"You can go on a ride through the forest, on or off trail, around the grounds, race in the track or across the field, whatever you want as long as you stay on your horse. Go!" She shouted, ushering them to the grounds.

"Wanna race?" Sera asked her friend, her once innocent grin turned evil. Kel nodded and willed Peachblossom to the field.

"Ready…set…go!" Kel shouted. She whispered a command to her powerful horse and felt his muscles bunch underneath her. He thundered off, leaving Starshine in the dust. But she soon made up for her slow start and pushed her lithe body to the lead.

"Hey!" Kel laughed, and whispered a faster speed to the big animal. He tossed his head, snorted, and did what she requested. She stuck her tongue out at Sera as she passed, getting caught up in the moment. Starshine caught up, but couldn't pass.

"And they're neck-in-neck. Who will win, Starshine or Peachblossom?" Casi narrated in a deep voice while the two girls thundered passed. The whole Physical Training class was running alongside the horses, quickly falling behind. Soon the finish line was in sight, and there was still no clear lead. When they were only about 25 feet from the end, Peachblossom put on a sudden burst of speed.

"Yes!" Kel cheered. She leaned down to hug the beast, when Jump lived up to him name and suddenly appeared in front of Kel on the saddle. He started barking wildly, and hopped back down, trying to get Kel to follow him. She clucked again to Peachblossom, and she followed Jump, along with Sera and another horse and rider. She didn't take the time to see who it was. Sera came up alongside her,

"Where are we going?" She asked, the fire showing in her eyes.

"I don't know, where ever Jump takes us." Kel answered wearily.

Jump barked, and went into the main building. Kel slid off of Peachblossom, asked him to stay there, and took off at a run. Sera and the other student followed. Kel took a second to see who it was.

_That boy again. I wonder who it is?_ She turned back around and kept running, keeping one hand on the hilt of the sword she kept at her waist. Jump led the trio through the many twists and turns of the building, finally coming up to a room she had been at many times. They heard a whimper.

"Rena" Sera breathed. They came to a stop in the door way. The room was a wreck. The bed was overturned, the contents of the desk and chest of drawers strewn everywhere. She ran forward to embrace her friend, and Kel ran did a quick perimeter search. Finding no one she crouched beside Rena and checked her injuries.

Her face and hands were covered in cuts and bruises, and there were red marks on her neck that matched someone's fingers. Her right arm was covered in her left, and her head rested against the wall behind her. Her hair was sticky and matted with blood.

"Who did this to you?" Kel hissed, wrapping a strip of cloth around her right hand. Rena winced at the gentle touch.

"I don't know. It was a boy, with blonde hair. And he was so handsome. But, it was a cold beauty, evil." She looked at Kel as she described him. Her face had gone from angry, to confused, and back to angry again before she had her emotions in check.

"Hurry, go and get a healer!" Kel ordered Sera. She dashed out, and ran through the hall, trying to make record time in getting to the infirmary. Kel's head was spinning, thinking about who it sounded Rena just described.

"What's wrong?" The boy asked, reminding Kel he was there.

"Nothing. Who are you?" Kel questioned.

"My name is Trey." He answered, giving her a half smile. "Now that I've answered you, can you tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She repeated, pushing hair out of Rena's eyes. He looked at her wryly, and started to say something but was interrupted when Sera walked back in, a healer in tow.

"It's okay, dear. Here, give me your arm." The woman instructed, tying her black hair back. She gently took her arm and blue fire engulfed her arm. Kel walked out to the hall to be out of the way as more people filed in, asked her questions and comforting. Sera stayed with her, helping her to stand up.

"Now, what's wrong?" Trey asked, having followed her out.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Nothings wrong." Kel worked to envision herself as a calm, clear lake, and kept the mask in place.

"Like you, and many of our counterparts, I too have been to the beautiful Yamani Islands. I know worry and anger when I see it on a face covered by a mask. Now, you care to share?" he asked, fighting a smile.

"Will you leave me alone if I tell you?" She saw no harm in telling someone. It'll get out eventually that someone had suspicions who it was. Everyone here was very protective of their fellow spies.

"Joren of Stone Mountain."

**So, you like? I don't know how he got in the SHQ, or why, but I'll think of a reason eventually. Any ideas would be AWESOME!! Thanks :)**


	21. Joren

**Heyy! So, here's chapter 21. Hope you like! Please Review! Oh, and only 52 days until the Twilight Movie comes out! WOOOOO!! **

**Disclaimer: So...I don't own POTS. However, if Tamora Pierce is reading this and wants to give it to me, go ahead! **

**Random Note: has nothing to do with the story, but The Outsiders is an awesome book, and you should all read it. And see the movie, the one with all the famous people in it. It's a really cool story. If you don't know it, read or watch! It rocks!**

He walked carefully, trying to avoid all the charms that had been left there by mages. They were made to alert the spies of someone's presence.

"Stupid 'spies'. They don't even know I'm here," he chuckled, pushing the griffin-feather band that was over his eyes. He snuck in the side door, making his way to a hallway full of rooms. He kept the hood up over his head, hoping no one would question it.

"Eh, hey. Why do you have a sack on?" A girl asked, pushing her wavy blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Uh, I'm a monk." He answered, thinking fast.

"A monk? Of what? Stupid outfits?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Uh, uh, no. I am in the Brotherhood of One." He answered.

"The brotherhood...of One? Does that mean you're the only brother?" Sera wondered, blinking.

"Yes, yes I am. Your Oneness is very...clear. You should go skinny-dipping in a moonlit lake to cleanse yourself." He answered, almost wincing at how stupid he sounded.

"Uh, yeah. Whatever." She backed away, shaking her head at his stupidity.

"Glad I got rid of her," he mumbled. Joren kept walking, peering into rooms. Finally he saw what he was looking for, a glaive. He walked in and started destroying the room, overturning the bed and pulling drawers out of the dressers. He was about to saw her beautiful glaive in half when A girl walked in the room, confusion covering her features.

"Oh, Kel. You've changed. Not only do you look different, but your mask has fallen. My, my, what a shame." He walked over to her, and slapped her cheek. Rena quickly retaliated, and kicked his knee, then hit the ground. As she fell, she hooked her leg around his and twisted. He came crashing down.

"Who _are _you?" Rena asked, grabbing her sword. She held it to his throat, daring him to try a move. Seeing she was about to call for help, he grabbed her ankle. She too came

crashing down, and just had time to put her sword to the side before falling with a bone jarring crack. She hissed in a breath at the pain in her arm, and rolled to her feet, crouching as she looked for Joren. As she turned she straitened, then saw him.

"Who do you think I am? I'm Joren of Stone Mountain." He told her, punching Rena in the face. She glared at him, then dodged another blow. She kicked out, getting him in the side. She smiled at the satisfying crack.

"It was you, wasn't it, that was setting off the alarms. Why are you here?" She growled, and ducked at the foot swinging her way.

"Why do you think I'm here, Lump? I'm here to make sure you never anything more than a beggar, a cripple, nothing." He purred, before trying to stab her with the sword.

"Lump? Wait, Kel said-Joren? You mean the one who was so mean to Kel? Wow, she kicked your butt. You're nothing but dirt, coming here. Let me tell you. When the others find out what you did, you won't live to see tomorrow." She grabbed the glaive Kel had left her with to practice, and plunged it in his side. His face went white before he grabbed the other end and pushed it in her stomach, bruising a few ribs. She sat down and tried to catch her breath as her ran away, dropping her sword.

Joren ran as fast as he could, but was slowing down quickly. He was losing a lot of blood. He opened a door and thanked Mithros at his luck. Inside was a broom closet, not

huge, but big enough to fit him. He climbed in, and sat down, breathing hard. Finding some linens, he bound his wound and thought, coming up with a plan.

**Yeah, Yeah. I know it's short. But it's just a filler chapter. I have big plans for later. Oh, and if anyone can get the reference, not only will I be surprised, but the next chapter will be dedicated to them. Hint Hint, the reference is a book...Hint Hint x2, it's the part about the brotherhood of one, and anything else after that that makes no sense. **

**As usual, any ideas would be great. I have a loose outline already written, but I can always fit in a few good ideas :D**


	22. Merciless

**Yes, I know. I'm a horrible author. I've been meaning to update, but kept putting it off. Although I've probably lost most, of not all, of my readers, I'm hoping someone will have mercy and tell me I'm forgiven. **

**This chapter takes on a different tone, I noticed. Oh, well. I guess my writing style changed a bit. Tell me if there's any confusion or questions, and I'll be sure to answer.**

**And now, chapter 22. Enjoy!**

**-Rach **

Casi walked quietly down the hall with Sera. Coming to the next door, she kicked it open for her friend, who ran in, quickly followed by Casi. Seeing no one in plain sight, they searched the room. Casi looked under and around the bed, desk, and weapons rack, while Sera searched around the small room connected, which contained the privy and such.

Finding nothing, again, Sera sat on the bed and sighed.

"We're never going to find him. Where could he have gone?" She wondered.

"I don't know, but we won't find him thinking like that, now will we? Come on, let's go to the next room." Casi pushed her partner out of the room, and got into position to kick the next door open.

***

Kel was furious. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. How dare Joren think he could get away with this! But more importantly, how did he know Kel was here?

"How did he know you were here?" The boy, Trey, startled her. She had forgotten he was here. Even though she wanted to search alone, he had insisted on coming with her, and she didn't want to take the time to argue.

"That's what I was just wondering. I don't know. The only thing I can think of is that we have a mole leaking information here at the SHQ," she told him, looking under a bed.

"Yes, that's what I think. It has to be. How else could he have known? It's not like he could have put a mark on you, what with all the mages around. At least one of them would have noticed." Trey thought out loud, holding open the door for her.

***

Maria and Hayden sat in the dining hall, eating a snack before continuing the search. The whole school was out looking for the one who had infiltrated their home and hurt one of their family.

"So, I heard it was someone from Kel's past. A Joren of Stone Mountain, I believe. He will pay. He will pay with his life," Maria growled, taking an angry bite of an apple.

"No, we mustn't hurt him. We want the spymaster to deal with him. But who knows, maybe he'll give him to us. 100 kids beating him with sticks would just hurt him," she began, saying a twist on a joke they had.

"Yes, but just 2 trained and merciless spies would make him beg for forgiveness, and make him want to offer his soul to make us stop," Hayden finished darkly.

"A little weird, don't you think?" Grey questioned, walking up behind the girls and stealing a bite of Maria's apple.

***

Sera tried to hold onto the leash as Fala took her around the woods, nose to the ground. Jason followed her, keeping watch. She kept looking back at him, trying to shake the feeling that had been bothering her for the last half hour. Although she was supposed to trust everyone here, and she did, he was the one exception.

_He better not try anything. If he did, with the mood I'm in, he may not live to tell the tale._ She had just finished the thought when she felt arms wrap around her. She let go of Fala's leash, knowing her dog wouldn't stray, and grabbed the arms. She kneeled grunted and she flipped her attacker over her arms.

She knew it would be Jason. He hit the ground with a thud, and she hit him in the throat, in a spot that made his eyes water. She then stomped on both his knees, just hard enough to make him stay still, then karate chopped his stomach.

"Seriously. How stupid are you? What made you think you could beat me, when you know how we're trained here. I mean, wow." She ended the thought by hitting the back of his head, knocking him unconscious. Sighing, she lifted the boy over her shoulder, and whistled for her dog. She began the long walk back the main building.

***

Joren shivered. He heard doors being kicked open, and knew they were searching for something. Him. He had to out of here. But how? His only hope was that his contact would find him first, and get him out of here.

He shifted his position and winced at the pain.

_Who was that good for nothing girl? Defiantly not the Lump, her fighting style is different. But she knew Kel, so at least Jason wasn't lying. Mithros, I really have to get out of here. _

He stopped moving when he heard voices outside of the room. And he recognized one.

_How is that possible?_

***

"What does that door lead to," Kel asked.

"Oh, just a closet. I don't think anyone could fit in it." Trey answered.

"It doesn't matter. We have to check, anyway." Kel opened the door, and growled. "So, Joren. You decided to come visit?" She waited for an answer, but got none. Instead, she looked to where he was staring open-mouthed. He was looking at Trey, and Trey was looking at him in surprise. "Okay. What's going on here?" Kel asked, stopping mid punch.

"Brother," Joren said, trying to stand.

"You're no brother of mine. How dare you do this! You're a disgrace! I knew you'd been adopted, but Stone Mountain?"

"Brother, you became a spy? A filthy spy? You're the disgrace!" Joren shouted. He quickly repented at the expression on his brother's face.

"Please forgive me. I'm sorry! You can't turn me in. Let me go." He begged. Kel pushed him down, and turned to Trey, still keeping Joren in sight.

"Is he telling the truth?" She asked, her anger coming back."

"In a way. We were abandoned when we were young; our uncle left us at an orphanage after our parents died. But he is only kin by blood. I believe it takes trust and love to be actual family, and he has none." Trey hit him in the head, rendering him unconscious in a move they were all taught right away. She put him over his shoulder, much as Sera had done, and gestured for Kel to lead the way. She smiled, and took his hand in a bold move.

"Come on. Although I'm a little confused, I trust you with my life." The pair walked together to the dining hall, where they would be sure to find a teacher. They told everyone in any rooms they passed that the search was over, and it was time to turn him in. They all followed eagerly.


	23. Trial

**So, here's chapter 23. I was kind of disappointed with the lack of reviews from the last chapter. Only one person :'( Thanks, AlyxtheDarkWanderer. **

**If there are any questions or confusion, please let me know. **

**-Rach**

*****

"You what?!" the Lioness asked, standing nose-to-nose with Jon.

"Well, I just received knowledge that Keladry of Mindelan was sighted in the west part of the Black Forest," he answered, wincing.

"Permission to go see if any knightly business can be achieved in the western part of the Black Forest?" she growled, narrowing her eyes.

"I was actually hoping if you would go north to Darthwith to help with an immortal problem," the King said, keeping a straight face.

"Jon..." Alana growled again, getting angrier.

"Kidding, kidding. You may go, though if any of the conservatives hear of this, I trust you to deal with it," he told her sternly.

"Yes, of course. I leave tomorrow." She left, just as the Queen walked in.

"You may regret that," she teased her husband.

"I know. I don't doubt it," he sighed, shaking his head.

***

"So, Joren, is it?" Lord Furner asked the boy cowering in front of him. The whole school was gathered around them in the dining hall, all the tables pushed back.

"Y-yes," Joren answered, trying to stop his voice from shaking.

"Yes, sir!" the trainer of the spies yelled at him, acting as though to strike him. But he stopped, just trying to scare the boy.

"Tiger! Please step forward!" he commanded, gesturing him forward.

"Sir!" Trey greeted, hand in a fist over his heart in a salute. At his trainer's nod, he lowered his hand to his side.

"This scum pleads that you're his brother, and that you will speak for him. Is this true?"

"Yes, my lord. But only part of it. As I told Komodo, though he is my blood brother, he is no kin of mine. I feel no loyalty toward him, nor mercy. Do with him as you please." Trey explained, giving up any connection, and with it protection, he might have over Joren.

"Very well." He gestured for a couple of students to step forward, and they took Joren by the arms, forcing him to walk to the edge of the circle the spies in training formed around Lord Furner.

"Serpent! Please step forward!" he yelled again.

"Sir!" Sera greeted him in the same way Trey had. Lord Furner nodded at her, also.

"Is it true that one of our own tried to attack you?" He asked, projecting his voice.

"As much as it hurts, yes." Sera agreed.

"Can you point out the one who did this unforgivable action?"

"Yes Sir!" She pointed out Jason from the crowd. Two more students who were restraining him, rather painfully, brought him to the circle. Although her tried to escape in all the ways he had been taught, the two holding him knew what he would attempt and shifted their hold accordingly. They pushed him to the ground, where he quickly stood back up. Trey and Sera melted back into the crowd.

"Sir!" He executed the much practiced salute, only to have his arm forcefully knocked aside.

"Do not address me in such a way! You're a disgrace, _Jaguar._" He used his code name, but twisted it to sound like an insult.

"Yes." He answered, hanging his head.

"Your punishment, for betrayal against the Spies of Tortall is to be sentenced to the life of a slave. Though you will still have a place to live, you will live the life that not even the maids here must lead. You may not leave the grounds, and may never earn back my, or anyone else's, trust. Understood?" He sentenced, thinking it through. Kel saw the compassion along with the brutality of the move. This way he couldn't betray them again, but they wouldn't have to take his life to do it. However, he would also be sorry for what he did for the rest of his life as a slave.

"Komodo! Please step forward!"

***

Alana knew a lot of magic was being used. She didn't know for what, but it was strong. _There's enough here to cover a square mile of land! What could be here_, she wondered. She heard something in the woods and quieted her horse, then commanded him to lay down behind some low-laying trees. She crouched beside him and looked out.

Sir Myles, the spy master and Alana's father, came up the path on his horse. Alana narrowed her eyes and watched him walk up to the edge of a clearing, where she sensed the magic. She crawled closer, gesturing to her horse to stay.

"Pears," he muttered to a tree. Alana cocked her head. _Is he going crazy," _she wondered, waiting to see if anything would happen.

A boy seemed to come out of nowhere, and he grinned at Sir Myles. He gestured for the older man to come with him. Alana clicked for her horse, and they went closer to the duo. They seemed to just disappear, and Alana ran behind them, right into where the magic was temporarily removed, followed by her horse. On the other side, she met a surprise.

***

"Komodo. Is it true you know this worthless dirt?" Lord Furner questioned.

"Yes, sir," Kel answered.

"Do you wish to vouch for him?"

"No, sir."

"Very well." He turned to Joren. "The best punishment I can think of is just leaving you to my pupils," he told the boy. The school surrounding him cheered, obviously wanting him to do just that. "However, you may not live to see proper judgment. Therefore, I think we must take you to the King, after, of course, erasing any memory you may have of how to get here. Away with him!" Lord Furner commanded, turning. The boys holding him turned around, and dragged them to the jail cells.

***

Alana gasped in surprise. She was surrounded by three teenagers wielding swords and knives. She looked away for a second to seek her father, and saw him still walking with the boy, turned away. Shaking her head, she drew her own sword and settled into her preferred stance. The teens around her had masks and were perfectly still.

Suddenly, one charged forward and tried to slash across her torso, which she deflected.

"Who are you," she screamed, twisting to dodge another blow.

"Who do you _think_ we are," a girl laughed. "We're the spies of Tortall." She darted in, and stabbed Alana in the chest, but her armor stopped the knife. "And who are you?"

"I am The King's Champion, Alana the Lioness." she told them. At her words, they stopped fighting and stepped back, weapons to their sides, though anyone who knew anything about fighting could tell that in seconds they could have their weapons swinging.

"I'm sorry. We had no way to know your identity. Please come with us," she instructed, removing her mask. She had dark, shoulder length hair and dark eyes. "My name is Meer Cat, and these are two of my partners, Hyena and Gargoyle."

"What's with the animals?" Alana asked.

"Oh, our code names. Since we can't trust you, you can't know our real names," Meer Cat explained brightly.

"Now, now, Meer. I'm sorry. What she means, is that it's just a precaution." Hyena told her. I'll take her to the dining hall, and send out the next shift. Be right back." She led Alana inside.

***

**Please review! They make me happy and want to update faster –hint hint- **

**Just curious, have anyone seen The Last Legion? I love that movie. It's the prequel, kinda, to the whole king Arthur thing. With the sword in the stone and Merlin and everything.**


	24. Alanna

**I know this one is shorter than what I've been doing lately, but it's all I can do before starting the next chapter. **

**I haven't read the series with Alanna, so I can't really get her right.**

**I want to apologize for adding so many characters, but it's really hard for me to write a fictional story like this without adding people wherever I see fit...**

***

Alanna walked behind Hayden, the girl she knew as Hyena, and looked around her new surroundings.

"So who are you?" Alanna asked Hyena.

"Well, I'm not really sure if I should, you know, tell you. I mean, it should be fine, but you never know what Master would say."

"Who?"

"Oh, the head of this organization," Hyena explained. "I can't tell you how he got the name, though. It might give something away.

"You're a cute little spy," Alanna taunted, hoping for a reaction. Hyena just smirked.

***

Kel walked with her partners the hallway where the healing wing was.

"Are you okay, Sera? I know that Jason attacked you, and he's pretty good at hand-to-hand. He could have really hurt you," Casi asked.

"What do you mean pretty good? He's the best in the class," Sera told her friends.

"Uh, no. You are. You beat him, didn't you?" Casi assured her.

"Maybe, but you are defiantly the worst," Sera teased her.

"Hey, guys, quiet down," Kel ordered. They had arrived at the healing wing. Sera went in first.

"Hey, Rena! Guess what? Joren is in trouble!" Sera gushed to her friend.

"When will you be okay to go back to training?" Kel wondered. She wanted to get out of this part of the facility. It was reminding her too much of Neal.

"I can actually leave now, and the healer healed my broken arm and nose, as well as a bunch of bruises." Rena explained, walking out of the wing and to the dining hall with her friends.

***

"Sir!" Hyena greeted her teacher, Lord Furner. He looked at her, then her companion. Everyone eating lunch in the dining hall quieted, looking Hyena's visitor.

"Hello, my Lord," Alanna said, executing the salute as she saw Hyena do.

"Why, the Lioness! What a nice surprise! Now, if I may ask, what are you doing here?" he wondered. The entire room was silent.

"I'm searching for a girl who was said to have been seen in this area. Then I saw my father enter through a rip in a magic shield covering the place. I followed. Now, if you please, tell me where I am?" Alanna requested, getting angry at Lord Furner for treating the matter so casually.

"You are at the training ground for the Spies of Tortall. I am the head trainer, and your father visits periodically." He explained, just as five girls walked into the dining hall, four of them laughing, and one with a smile.

***

"You know Kel; I don't really know what his problem is. I mean, you're so cool," Rena laughed. Kel ducked her head at the praise, her hair obscuring her features to hide a smile. The others laughed at her reaction. They walked into the dining hall, but immediately stopped laughing when they entered, noticing the lack of noise.

"Get around me! She can't see me!" Kel whispered, dragging her partners around her. Suddenly on the same wave length, Casi kept walking to into the room, to a table, waving to her friends like she was going to see them later, and she was just getting dropped off. Kel walked away with Sera and Rena blocking her, and they walked, then ran, back to Kel's rooms.

***

Alanna looked at all the teens staring at her and shifted, nervous.

"Ah! Casi! How are you?" Lord Furner asked the girl walking in. She walked towards them, leaving three others at the door, who left, faces carefully blank.

"I'm great, my Lord." Casi answered. The talking began again, instructed by their master. By saying Casi's name and not her codename, he told his students that the woman could be trusted. Alanna noticed this, as well as the one who was hidden. But before she could ask about her, another girl walked up to the group and looked at Lord Furner.

"Oh, I almost forgot, the next patrol needs to replace mine on watch," Hayden remembered. Now she knew she could talk about their safety percussions in front of the Lioness.

"We'll go!" Casi volunteered her squad. Seeing Lord Furner nod, she smiled at Hayden and went to Kel's room.

***

"Come on, we're on patrol. We have to stay vigilant and watchful. Let's go," Rena told her friends. Seeing the look in her eyes, no body questioned but everyone silently followed her out. Kel grabbed her glaive and put it in the holster on her hip. On the way out of the building, Rena retrieved her sword and set it in its' sheath and Casi slung her bow and arrows across her back. The girls also put on their light armor. Wrist guards were the only things needed when on watch. Walking out, they took spots around the grounds, solo, aside from Kel and Rena. They settled down to endure their watch.

"Kel, tell me what happened between you and Joren," Rena whispered, staring out at the trees.

"Hmmm..." was all she answered, her mask instantly up.

"Kel, you won't feel any better until you tell us," Rena assured her.

"Can I trust you? No one can know this, only the two of us and our partners."

"Of course. And we'll tell you our stories. I mean, it's time you knew," she sighed.

"Okay. My name is Keladry of Mindelan. I was the first known girl page," she began her story. Rena listened quietly.

"And when I walked in, my room was destroyed." Kel went on to explain her year, including her friends, pigeons, Jump, and Peachblossom. When she finally finished, Rena stared at her a minute before starting her own story.

"My real name is Renalia. I'm not really from Tortall, but the Yamani Islands."

***

**I only proofread about half of this, so sorry for any mistakes. **

**As always, feel free to ask any questions**

**The next chapter will be Rena's story, in case you didn't, you know, already guess...**


	25. Rena's Story

**Just so we all know, I'm trying to get the timeline right. Kel has been at the headquarters for about a year, so she's 12? Let's just go with that. **

**Sorry about the late update, things were hectic yesterday! I watched all three lord of the rings for the first time. Can you say amazing?!?!?!**

***

And one other thing Kel's friends are all about the same age as her. Rena is about a year older, so she's 13 right now.

"My real name is Renalia. I'm not really from Tortall, but the Yamani Islands," Rena muttered. "My parents were Tortallian, but banned because of a crime they were blamed for. They were innocent, just at the wrong place and the wrong time. Anyway, I was sent to a relative to learn common as to not have that much of an accent. Later I was shipped back to the Islands. But that's not what you want to know, is it? I should tell you why I'm here. About a year ago I was having some trouble sleeping."

***

Renalia woke up and shifted, trying to get comfortable. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she kicked her blankets off. She laid there for another hour before just giving up. She pulled on a brown dress over her white shift and slipped on a pair of soft brown slippers.

"Mama! Need any help?" she asked her mother, running down the stairs to the bottom level of her house to the shop her parents ran.

"Yes, of course. Start baking bread and sweep the floors, please." Her plump mother smiled, giving her a morning hug. Renalia got to work, kneading the dough. She hummed as she worked, but abruptly stopped and wiped her face of all emotion when their first customer of the day walked in.

"Good morning. What would you like to eat today?" her mother asked, unemotional and in the Yamani language.

"Hello. Bread, please, as well as some of you wonderful hot tea," he requested, eyes crinkling, the equivalent to a smile. She nodded, and went back to the kitchen.

"It's beautiful here, but I can't stand the unemotional thing," she told her daughter, smiling again.

"I know, mama. Do you think I could have a break?" Renalia asked hopefully.

"Sword? Sure, just be back soon." Rena hugged her mother and ran back up the stairs to her room. She took off her dress, and put on a pair of breeches and laced her shirt before slipping a pair of leather boots and laced them up to before buckling her sword around her waist. Next she wrapped a scarf around her head to hide her long brown hair and climbed out the window.

***

"Once at the market, when I was 9, I saw a boy in an alley, with a sword. He was doing a pattern dance, which I knew nothing of at the time, but I was enthralled. I couldn't look away. Although his face was expressionless, I could see his passion in his movements. That night I took my father's sword he kept in his room, and snuck out of the house to find the boy. He was in the same alley, asleep under a rag that could have once been a blanket. He looked to be about 12, and I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. But I couldn't help it. I asked him to teach me to fight with a sword, and at first he said no. But eventually I convinced him. I went to him everyday, and he taught me all he knew."

***

Renalia jogged through the city, dressed as a boy. She finally got to the alley she visited every day, and looked for her best friend.

"Dane? Hello? Where are you?" She walked around the narrow space and drew her sword when she couldn't find him. Sensing something, she twirled around and pointed her sword out, ready for whatever she had to face.

"Hey, Rena. How's the bread baking?" Dane asked, sword pointed towards her.

"Fine. Ready to get your butt kicked?" she wondered. Dane sheathed his sword, and ran past her into the streets. Rena followed his example and chased him, hiding a smile behind her carefully constructed mask at his nickname for her.

"She kept up her chase until they arrived at an empty field. She sighed in relief at finally being able to drop her mask and tackled him. He laughed, also letting go of hold on his emotions. He kissed her cheek, and she giggled. Rena helped him up and they both drew their swords for the second time. The two faced off, and they fought.

"You're like a little pixie," Dane noticed as Rena spun around him, just out of reach of his weapon. She grunted and tried to stab his arm, just barely missing. He stopped laughing and concentrated. They kept at it until she locked swords with him. She smiled grimly, knowing she had him.

Rena grabbed his arm with her free hand and twisted his wrist, forcing him to drop the sword. Not even blinking, he jumped on her. She let go of her sword and kicked him, using all he had taught her to get free. She ended up straddling him, and she brought up her fist to punch him. He caught it in his hand, and he pushed her off of him. She picked up her sword and was about to begin another attack when he gestured for her to be quiet.

"Do you hear that?" he whispered, cocking his head. She listened hard, and noticed what he meant. There was a distant screaming, and it sounded like it was coming from town. He looked at her, eyes wide, and grabbed her hand. She placed her sword in its sheath and ran with her friend, rewrapping the scarf around her hair as they went.

***

"When we finally got there, it was horrible. The whole town was being attacked by Spidren. We hadn't had much trouble with immortals in that area, so no one knew what to do. Dane didn't have a family, so we went straight to my home. When we got there it had already been ransacked by the immortals. My father was dead, I found him with in front of our house. It looked like he was trying to keep the creatures from entering the house.

"I ran upstairs, and my mother was barely breathing. A spidren was in the room with her, and it had just bit her leg off. It was wrapping silk around the stump, to stop the bleeding, I guess."

***

Rena screamed in defiance, and ran into the room. She rammed her sword straight through its spider-like body, and twisted, wanting it to feel pain. Dane came up behind her and chopped off its head, ending its life.

"You're not this person. You know you're not. Go to your mother," he commanded. Numb, she did as she was told. The girl kneeled at her mother's side, stroking her hair and holding her hand.

"Mama? Can you hear me?" she asked the dying woman. She opened her eyes and struggled to move, but Rena held her down. "No, rest. We can get through this," she assured her quietly, knowing she lied.

"Where's your father?" Her mother asked, voice strained.

"He's okay. He went to join the gods," Rena whispered, trying not to cry.

"I'm going to be with him soon. But Renalia, my little girl, promise me you'll run."

"Mama, you're not going anywhere!" she almost shouted, looking around for Dane. She finally saw him, guarding the door.

"Promise me...you'll travel...to Tortall...and go to the SHQ in the Black Forest. Join the spies of Tortall. They'll help you there, and you're so skilled." She praised her daughter one last time. "Promise me! Then I can leave in peace, knowing you're safe."

"I...I promise, mama," Rena said quietly, hugging her mother for the last time. She stopped breathing and all the tension left her body. Rena swallowed back tears and forced her sadness to turn to anger. She picked up her sword and walked to the door, where Dane tried to comfort her.

"No. We have to go to Tortall and join the Spies of Tortall. My mama told me to. Come with me," she said unemotionally.

***

"I finally convinced Dane to come with me to Tortall, and we hid in a boat on its way to Tortall. We lived in the forest for two weeks, surviving off of things we found in the forest, but we practiced with out swords each day. Eventually Lord Furner found us, and told us he had been watching us.

"We joined the Spies, and now here I am," Rena finished simply. Kel stayed silent for a moment longer, Yamani mask up.

"So where's Dane?" she wondered.

"He's been on a mission for the past few months. You never saw him because he's been undercover. I didn't want to talk about him."

"Wow," was all Kel could answer. She frowned, and hugged her friend. "Compared to you, I've had it easy," she sighed.

"Not really. That's all behind me now," she assured Kel. They both spun, having heard something behind them. Rena drew her sword and Kel her glaive and the two stood in their favored stances, ready to take on whoever was there.

Their attacker had suddenly pulled their bow from their back and had an arrow ready to shoot before they could blink.

"Uh, do you two wanna take a breath? I mean, trying to attack me doesn't make me very happy," Casi admitted.

***

**I'll put in the other partner's stories throughout, here and there. **

**Any questions or comments, please let me know! **

**Oh, and I didn't proofread again...sorry! Tell me if I have any big mistakes, but I'm working on talking my friend into being my beta **

**This is the last thing, I promise! I know Kel isn't really Kel, you know? But seeing as I'm not really Tamora Pierce, I can't get her exact. However, in this next chapter she's going to be alone again, kinda, so I'll be able to, well, try and get her more Kel-ish...If that was confusing, I'm sorry! **


	26. First Mission

**Sorry about the lack of updates...I have been really busy, and was overcome with a serious case of writers block :( **

**Hmm...the title kind of gives the chapter away, doesn't it... **

**Tell me how you like it!**

**----------------------------------**

"Kel Rena Kel Rena!" Casi shrieked, bounding into Kel's room. Kel paused in her pattern dance and wiped a grimy hand across her sweaty forehead, and Rena looked up from the book she was reading, sprawled across Kel's bed. They had just gotten back from grooming their horses after riding them through the forest and around the grounds.

"Yes Casi?" Kel sighed, setting her glaive against the wall and sitting on the floor. She started stretching, waiting for what Casi had to tell her.

"We have to report to Master Furner," she sang.

"And that's good...how?" Kel wondered, doing a few crunches. She didn't like the flare of fear she felt in her gut, and quickly hid behind her mask.

"Well, we might be in trouble, but at the same time it could be good," Sera shrugged, coming into the room. "Oh, and Rena, Dragon's back," she said slyly, stepping to the side of the door. It was a wise move since Rena shot out of the room towards the exit.

"Let's go," Kel ordered her friends quietly, walking out of the room. Sera and Casi followed her. Casi looked at her sympathetically. She had noticed the quick change is Kel's features and knew how she must be feeling.

"Why could it be good?" Kel brought up again, matching her pace with Casi's.

"We could be going on our first mission, I guess," she smiled, remembering the teams she had seen off, going on their own missions. Kel nodded, hoping this was why they had been summoned.

"Here we are," Sera whispered, stopping outside of Lord Furner's office. Rena caught up to them, a smile lighting her features. The five walked in together.

***

Kel, Casi, Rena, and Sera walked into their Master's office and stood at attention, trying to stay as still as possible. Kel and Rena hid behind their Yamani masks, the rest trying to copy them. He ignored them for what felt like hours, but was only a few minutes. Finally he stood and turned to them, taking notice. He smiled at their stances and waved a hand, letting them know they could stand down.

There are a few camps of bandits to the east," he started, showing them where on a map. "A friend at the palace told me the pages are going to be camping there with Lord Wyldon. The district commander is being paid to not get rid of them."

"Why can't you just tell Lord Wyldon?" Sera wondered, glad that the formalities were over.

"We could, but he would just send in a group of nice and noisy knights. The bandits would have enough warning and run, for sure. So I'm sending in my best at this kind of thing. You five are going to go in and drive them out, getting them close enough to the fort that they will be found and taken to the crown. Only kill them if anyone is in danger, and still only of there's no other choice. Can you do this?" he asked, knowing their answer.

"Of course," all five answered at the same time. Smiling, he sent them out.

"Go prepare. Pack lightly. You leave tomorrow," he ordered.

***

"Yes! Our first mission," Sera squealed. Casi and Rena were the only ones who noticed how quiet Kel was, and how she didn't drop her mask.

"What's wrong, Kel?" Rena wondered, looking at her friend worriedly.

"Hmmm? Oh, nothing. Just thinking about what we're going to have to do," she improvised.

"No, it's not. You're worried that the pages will recognize you," Rena disagreed.

"You don't have to worry. You'll stay far away from them," Casi reminding her.

"Well, okay," Kel answered, knowing they were right but still worried. They finally arrived at the hallway where the rooms were. Rena left them first, running to Dane's room to tell him the news. Kel smiled assurance at her friends before being the second one to depart, going to her rooms to begin packing.

***

Finally alone, Kel could think about what was to come. Then she gave herself a mental slap in the face. _Stop thinking about what hasn't yet come. Just prepare._

She turned to her bed and her eyes widened in surprise. There, sitting on her bed, was a box. Unwrapping it, she was surprised to see a pair of large saddle bags, well made but ordinary enough on the outside, and fitted with large and small compartments. She found things in those compartments: flint and steel, an oiled pouch full of tinder; small iron pots and a plate and bowl set, all of which fit together; a hank of light, strong rope; tooth-cleaning power; a tidy sewing kit; hooks and lines for fishing; and a curious fanlike creation that, when opened up, was revealed to be a waterproof hat.

"How could they find me here," she murmured to Jump, turning the things over in her hands. "How can they know exactly what I need," she continued. The present gave her strength. It made her think of her friends at the palace, and she smiled, her outlook of the mission changing.

Kel put the saddle bags on the saddle she had for Peachblossom and put all of her supplies back in, along with a few extras. Next she grabbed her pack from the chest of drawers and folded a few articles of clothing for the next few days.

"What weapons are you going to bring?" Rena wondered, coming in the room. She noticed Kel staring at her weapons rack, indecision gracing her features.

"My glaive, defiantly." She wasn't worried about anyone she may see on the mission recognizing it. She had painted the shaft a deep gray, almost black, and only a few of her friends had actually seen it.

"I'm taking my sword, dagger, and bow and arrows. You should do the same, minus the sword, of course. It's good to have a long distance weapon at hand." Rena explained, smiling.

"Alright, that's what I'll do, then. I'm packed. Are you ready?"

"Yeah. Are you sure you can do this? There's a chance you'll see people from your past, without them knowing it," Rena reminded her, lowering her voice.

"I'm sure. Besides, I can't defy a direct order from My Lord, now can I?" Kel assured her friend. Frowning, Rena shook her head and left the room, leaving Kel for bed.

Sighing, Kel took out a piece of paper and started writing three letters, a plan formulating in her mind for how to deliver them.

***

Kel was filled with excitement and adrenaline, but struggled to keep her Yamani mask up. She and her four partners were leaving the headquarters and going on their first mission together. However, they went over the plans earlier in the morning and wouldn't talk to each other often. Though Kel grew sad at the thought, she accepted it.

Unlike others, this mission was to be kept secret. They couldn't afford for the information to get out and for the bandits to escape. The five walked to the stables, not drawing any attention. They had already stowed their bags away that night.

Arriving, they were greeted by Lord Furner, who awarded each of his pupils a smile before ushering them on their horses and out of the stable. Kel shivered as she rode through the rip in the magic barrier around the grounds, stroking Peachblossom gently to reassure him. She looked over to see Rena's infectious grin, and had to throw one back.

_My first mission, _Kel thought, and urged Peachblossom forward, taking the lead to watch for attackers.

**------------------------------------**

**Sorry for any mistakes, by friend is working on registering as a beta, so hopefully that'll be fixed soon!**

**Tell me if anyone has any ideas for the future of the story, they would be much appreciated! Though I have an idea of where this is going, anything would be helpful :)**

**Please, please, please review!!!!**


	27. Bandits

**I'm back! And I have a few points to say before you read further.**

**1-I took out a character, having decided I added too many. She's no longer in any past chapters, either.**

**2-I reread the story, and have noticed it has many inconsistencies. I'll work on that.**

**3-I made color guard! You may not know what that is, but it's an awesome sport.**

**I'll try to update more. Cross your fingers!**

**-rach**

***

Alanna sat in her quarters at the palace, thinking. Reaching a decision she stood up triumphantly, and put one foot on her bed, holding her sword above her head in the same fashion she might after winning a battle of some kind.

"It's her! It has to be," Alanna cried. Raoul was walking by the open door to her rooms as she said this.

"Are you okay?" he inquired warily, puzzled. She looked at him and blinked.

"I'm just stretching," she quickly lied.

"Sure." With that, he left the room, shaking his head. Alanna shrugged and stepped down from her position, already making plans.

***

"I need you to send this to the Spies of Tortall," Alanna told Sir Myles slowly. "Deliver it to Keladry of Mindelan." He narrowed his eyes.

"How do you know the name for our organization for the younger spies?" he asked.

"No one told you? I followed you into the place a week ago. It wasn't that hard," she said casually. Sir Myles smiled.

"Oh, Alanna. You're so cute when you're naive." He took a step back at her glare. "Well, maybe not cute..."

"What?" she asked.

"We knew you were there, watching. I knew you followed me. The ones who attacked you? They knew. Alanna, we all knew. The thing is, we wanted to test your abilities. Well, I did."

"What?" she repeated, rage filling her.

"Well, okay. Everyone just wanted some entertainment." He ran away before Alanna could hurt him. She left the crate in his room, writing a note on top of it before leaving to hunt him down.

***

Kel settled into her spot high in a tree, and put a spy glass to her eye. Seeing movement, at the bottom of the mountain, she stared for a moment. _Yep, bandits._

She gestured for one of her sparrows to come closer, where she wrote a quick note in a code she learned. "Take it to Rena," she instructed quietly. The sparrow hopped twice, showing it understood. She tied it to its leg with a piece of string and stroked its head before he flew off.

Kel continued watching the bandits and almost fainted at what she saw next. Her page friends, including Faleron, Neal, Prosper of Tameran, Merric, and Seaver. There was also a boy she didn't know and assumed her was a first year page. She caught the name Owen and attached it to him.

They walked quietly, and she assumed they were hunting. However, they stumbled right into the camp of bandits. A dog started barking and Faleron yelled something. Kel couldn't tell from that distance, but thought it was 'run!'.

The bandits jumped on horses and surrounded the pages. Kel looked at Neal, hoping he would take charge as oldest. When he didn't, she prayed Faleron would as most senior page. When that happened she had no choice. She jumped down from the tree-she had climbed enough things to no longer be afraid of them- and mounted Peachblossom. She told him what to do and he took off.

She worried as she rode, no longer having a visual, and urged her horse faster. While riding she pulled her glaive out of the leather loop that held it to the saddle. Finally she got close enough to hear conversation.

"Well, what do we have hear?" one asked.

"A group of pages, by the looks of it," another growled. Kel climbed off of Peachblossom and peered through the brush surrounding the clearing. The outlaws were slowly closing in around the group. No one was moving and Kel decided to make friends with the element of surprise.

She rode out and broke through the circle, killing one bandit with her powerful weapon.

"Neal, Prosper!" She yelled, knowing they each had a Gift. "Hide us, blind or confuse them, whatever it takes!" she yelled. When they didn't respond she whacked Neal on the head. "Come on, do it!" He shook his head and did as she asked. Prosper did the same. "Bows! Shoot horses, if you can!" Those too were slow to respond, but they grabbed arrows after seeing her expression.

Kel looked around and saw a cliff wall. She ordered mages and bows first, then spears.

"Anybody got a horn?" Faleron coughed and nodded. She nodded for him to signal for help. They backed up against the wall, and Kel reminded Neal and Prosper to keep their blinding light at work.

She looked around for more cover and noted a cave or hollow farther up the cliff. She urged the pages to climb, and she took the bow from her back, barely pausing to aim.

"Neal, stop using your Gift; you'll need it for other things. Use your bow instead. Prosper, ease up. When a lot of 'em move in, shoot out a light burst." She dismounted Peachblossom and told him to go and hide, commands she taught him in her free time. He obliged and Kel sighed in relief, glad she didn't have to worry about him anymore. She held back a laugh as he ran straight at a one man on foot, kicking him. She glanced at Neal and saw him staring at her.

"You've changed," he muttered. She ignored him and pushed him to the wall. Kel stayed at the bottom with her glaive. She felt more than saw the others, who had already reached the cave, loose several arrows. She heard more men go down.

"Komodo!" Rena yelled, bursting into the clearing. She was on her horse, Pepper. He was all black, with a white face and underbelly. He was the exact opposite of Dane's horse, Salt.

"Over here!" Kel yelled from the bottom of the cliff. Rena pulled her sword from her sheath and cut down several men before also dismounting and giving Pepper the same commands. She joined her friend.

"I know them all," Kel whispered in Scanran, anguished. Rena knew she meant the pages.

"Did they recognize you?" she asked, catching on.

"Probably. I called them by their names. A stupid mistake. I was just too intent on getting them safe I didn't want to take the extra time to go, 'Hey, you! Do you happen to have a Gift?'"

"I see what you mean..." Rena said distractedly, stabbing a bandit.

"We'll have to kill them all," Kel realized, noting they weren't giving up. Rena nodded grimly and they were about to charge when Casi joined the party.

"Hey guys!" she shouted, taking her bow. She loosed three arrows at once, and they each found and killed their own target.

"I sent the message on," Rena provided, answered Kel's unasked question. They had switched from Scanran since it was a safe topic.

Kel nodded and they two ran out to meet Casi in the middle of the fight. The three fought as hard as they could, but never in cold blood. They few that surrendered were dragged away, then bound and gagged by Sera, who also joined the fight.

"They're all kind of cute, aren't they?" Casi asked at one point, taking a second to look at the pages. Kel shoved her and continued fighting, shaking her head. "I was just saying..." she muttered, stabbing someone with an arrow before loosing it.

***


	28. Chapter 28

**Should I even apologize for taking so long? I'm sorry, school hasn't been easy. Neither has guard. We just had two twelve hour practices. In two days. That was a few days ago, and I'm still tired and sore.**

**I have the next chapters planned out, and they'll be written soon. I'm trying for monthly updates, and might even make it to two weeks. R+R!!! **

** -rach **

Kel, Rena, and Casi each did a complicated pattern dance. Kel with her glaive, Rena a sword, and Casi a bow, using the arrows like daggers. They ended back to back, looking for more enemies.

"Uh, guys? That's it," Sera blinked. She was tying a man's hands together, and he jumped up, trying to attack her. She quickly punched him in the head, knocking him out cold. She didn't look away from her friends as she did it.

Kel looked up to her friends, breathing hard. They were all staring open-mouthed at the four girls who had just saved their lives.

"K-Kel?" Neal asked, climbing down from the cave. The others followed suit, until the group had gathered around them. Sera joined her friends. There was no way anyone could escape her knots.

"Hello, Neal," Kel whispered. He lunged forward and hugged her. After a moments hesitation she returned it.

A group of women and children stood in the clearing, with the remaining men who didn't fight.

"Run before the others get here. They'll arrest you," Sera urged. They obliged, picking up belongings as they went.

The assembled youths heard horses coming near and Kel almost bolted, but Rena held her back. There wasn't enough time to hide.

Lord Wyldon led a group out into the clearing and looked wildly around. First at the tied up bandits, then the four girls. They had relaxed but were standing back-to-back as the group surrounded them. Kel kept her eyes down, not wanting anyone to recognize her.

"What happened here?" he asked, looking at the pages and dismounting.

"They were amazing, my lord!" Owen shouted. Neal gave him a sharp look. They were quite good. Sir," he amended himself.

"Who are you?" he asked the girls, walking closer.

"We're agents from the Spies of Tortall. We were sent when our master got word that there were bandits in the area, and your group was coming. We staked out the area and were going to take care of them after you left, but they stumbled in and we had to keep them safe," Sera explained.

"What are your names?" he asked. "I want to be sure of your story."

"My Lord, you have no reason to doubt us," Rena said politely. She showed him her dagger, which had their crest. She hoped to Mithros he would know what it was.

"Alright," he acknowledged, leaning closer to get a better look. The other three held their own daggers out, showing him the hilts. He nodded and gestured for them to answer his question.

"We go by Rottweiler, Komodo, Serpent, and Cobra," Sera answered, pointing to each in turn.

"Queensgrove, what happened?" he wondered, having never gotten a suitable response.

"My Lord, we were looking for game, as we were supposed to, and found the bandits. They saw us before we had time to run, and Ke-Komodo burst out of the trees," he said. He stumbled over Kel's name, but recovered.

"She attacked a few, and told us to back up against the wall. Then she ordered me and Prosper to use our gifts against them, and everything. After she got us all up into that cave the others came, one by one, and fought. We didn't even do anything, really, after they got here. That one," he pointed at Sera, "Tied up all the bandits the others threw at her, while they fought. It was amazing," he uttered.

Lord Wyldon looked at them in surprise. "You did this?" he asked. Casi and Rena nodded, and Kel looked up.

"My thanks, then. Do you require any kind of payment, or...?" he asked. Sera shook her head.

"If you wish, you can talk to Sir Myles and he will give you the necessary information to contact our master," she explained. She whistled for her horse, Starshine. She galloped to Sera's side. Rena did the same with Pepper, and Casi with Nala, her white-yellow mare. Kel mounted Pepper, in case anyone saw Peachblossom, even with his dyed coat, and put two and two together.

While the others gave their attention the tied up bandits, Neal walked slowly to Kel on her friend's horse. He wanted to give her another hug or talk to her, but knew he couldn't. As Sera and Casi left, he nodded to her and bit his lip.

"I will contact you soon. I miss you, Neal," Kel whispered. She reached into her bag and handed Neal three papers. "Please deliver these. One is for you. Good bye. She gave a small wave before being whisked away on Pepper.

***

Kel and her best friends stood at attention in front of Lord Furner. He slowly circled them once, and then gave the order to relax.

"I'm very proud of you. All of you. Lord Wyldon gave a message to Sir Myles that for me. He let me know that the pages you protected can't stop talking about your bravery and how you saved them. It's making them all want to be spies. In particular he wanted me to tell the one with the glaive," he tuned to Kel, puzzled, "to keep working at it, and he's especially proud of her. What could that mean, I wonder."

Kel looked at the ground, then back up at him.

"Sir, I was required to tell you my background before I was accepted here. I was vague, I know, but I didn't lie about anything. I just left unimportant details out."

"You think that the fact you were the first known girl to go through page training in a hundred years is unimportant? Do you really think I wouldn't have wanted to know you're the daughter of an important family?"

"Sir, I just wanted to start over. I wanted to leave my past behind for the time being, and go back when I'm ready to earn my shield without being denied." Kel stood with her head held high and unblinking, knowing she made a mistake in hiding part of her past, but confident that she had good reason to. Lord Furner shook his head, amused."

"Keladry, I knew you had good reasons. The Shang Wildcat told me everything I wanted to know. I was just curious about your reasons and how you would deal with this. You stayed surprisingly calm while facing down your commander. Good job."

Kel's eyes widened in shock. Before she could respond they were dismissed. She and her partners walked out of his office and back to the housing wing.

"Bet you didn't expect that, did you?" Rena inquired, smirking at her friend. "I saw how nervous you were."

"Yes, I was. I have to go think. Good night." Kel waved to her friends and entered her room, locking the door behind her. She sat down on her bed, trying to absorb all that had happened that day.

She stood up and started pacing, and then unpacked. After she put her clothes away she moved on to her weapons, giving them more care than any of her other possessions. First she hung her quiver of arrows on a hook along with a bow, and her dagger on the bedside table. She picked up her glaive to polish it, but and the last second decided not to. Instead she stood up and began a pattern dance, happy to let exertion clear her mind.

She went to bed content and exhausted, happy to deal with life tomorrow.

**Review please! If I still have any readers...**


	29. Sorry, guys AN

**Sorry guys!!! I know I promised an earlier update, but I've been having some issues with my laptop. Mainly, it won't turn on. Which is a bit of a problem. And yes, it's charged. **

**I'm getting it looked at and hopefully they'll at least be able to retrieve my documents if nothing else. I already have the next chapter written, so that would be nice…**

**When the next chapter is written, whether I have to rewrite it or not, I'll replace this with that. **

**Sorry again! I'll update as soon as I can, I promise!**

**Oh, and happy Friday!!!!**

**-Rach **


	30. Long Time, No Posting

Hello everybody! I haven't thought about this story for a long time, and have absolutely no plans to continue. I haven't even been on this website in, I dunno, years? If anyone wants to continue it, please send me a message and we'll talk. Thanks!

-Rach

P.S. You can also talk to me on my tumblr. You can get the link on my profile, because it won't let me save it here.


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